fiddling
1 of 2adjective
fid·dling ˈfid-liŋ 
ˈfi-dᵊl-iŋ
: trifling, petty
a fiddling excuse
fiddling
2 of 2noun
: the act of playing on a fiddle
… Schwarz brings up an orchestra member to do some country fiddling …
Heidi Waleson
Heidi WalesonOne of the most compelling qualities of Southern fiddling is the rhythm. Augusta Heritage Center
Augusta Heritage Center
Synonyms
Adjective
- foolish
- frivolous
- incidental
- inconsequential
- inconsiderable
- insignificant
- little
- Mickey Mouse
- minor
- minute
- negligible
- nugatory
- slight
- small
- small-fry
- trifling
- trivial
- unimportant
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective you should delegate these fiddling matters to your staff so that you can focus on more important issues
Word History
First Known Use
Adjective
1652, in the meaning defined above
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined above
fiddling 1 of 3
adjective
as in little
lacking importance you should delegate these fiddling matters to your staff so that you can focus on more important issues Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- little
- minor
- small
- slight
- trivial
- incidental
- trifling
- worthless
- foolish
- frivolous
- negligible
- petty
- small-fry
- inconsiderable
- minute
- unimportant
- inconsequential
- insignificant
- nugatory
- Mickey Mouse
- neither here nor there
- obscure
- jerkwater
- nickel-and-dime
- small-time
- unknown
- one-horse
- anonymous
- paltry
- uncelebrated
- nameless
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- substantial
- significant
- important
- major
- meaningful
- overriding
- big
- material
- fatal
- eventful
- consequential
- chief
- weighty
- impressive
- decisive
- outstanding
- principal
- dominant
- overbearing
- momentous
- remarkable
- distinctive
- prominent
- worthwhile
- unfrivolous
- basic
- exceptional
- valuable
- great
- fateful
- worthy
- distinguished
- eminent
- illustrious
- notorious
- fundamental
- essential
- overmastering
- key
- famous
- renowned
- prestigious
- preeminent
- all-important
fiddling
2 of 3noun
as in fidgeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
- fidgeting
- squirming
- wriggling
- twitching
- writhing
- squirm
- mobility
- flailing
- waving
- locomotion
- flapping
- motility
- shifting
- migration
- stirring
- dislocation
- motion
- motivity
- relocation
- movement
- shift
- move
- stir
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- inertia
- immobility
- stop
- pause
- finish
- motionlessness
- lapse
- shutdown
- stillness
- cessation
- stoppage
- halt
- termination
- expiration
- ending
- discontinuance
- inertness
- shutoff
- surcease
fiddling
3 of 3verb
1
as in twitching
to make jerky or restless movements the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin Synonyms & Similar Words
- fidgeting
- twitching
- squirming
- tossing
- jerking
- wiggling
- twisting
- jigging
- jiggling
- writhing
- shivering
- shaking
- trembling
- wriggling
- thrashing
- squiggling
- flitting
- threshing
- quivering
- fluttering
- shuddering
- twittering
- quaking
- pacing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- resting
- unwinding
- relaxing
- calming (down)
- stilling
2
as in cheating
to rob by the use of trickery or threats conscienceless grifters who had spent their lives fiddling the naive Synonyms & Similar Words
- cheating
- squeezing
- plucking
- hustling
- doing
- stinging
- sticking
- screwing
- beating
- diddling
- bleeding
- swindling
- deceiving
- reaming
- fleecing
- defrauding
- tricking
- chiseling
- gaffing
- rooking
- shortchanging
- bilking
- suckering
- skinning
- victimizing
- fooling
- mulcting
- exploiting
- conning
- shorting
- nobbling
- shaking down
- cozening
- hosing
- chiselling
- ripping off
- stiffing
- euchring
- chousing
- flimflamming
- thimblerigging
- betraying
- wrenching
- clipping
- skunking
- doing in
- extorting
- soaking
- taking for a ride
- taking to the cleaners
- gouging
- nicking
- wringing
- milking
- selling a bill of goods to
- wresting
- bitching
- overcharging
- gulling
- duping
- bamboozling
- double-crossing
- fast-talking
- roping (in)
- rheidaes
- Rheiformes
- rheiformeses
- quadrilles
- quadrilling
- quadrillion
- quadrillions
- quadrillionth
- quadrillionths
- quadriparous
- quadripartite
- quadripartitely
- quadripartition
- quadriphonic
- quadriphonics
- quadriphonies
- quadriplegia
- quadriplegias
- quadriplegic
- quadriplegics
- quadripole
- quadripoles
- quadriportico
- quadriporticus
- quadriporticuses