1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
even though the hurricane was fast approaching, federal and local politicians wasted precious time diddling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheating
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
an unscrupulous Broadway producer diddles little old ladies by persuading them to invest in a surefire flop
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diddling
Verb
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While delaying benefits is typically optimal, a hypothetical 22% cut by 2033 significantly shifts optimal claiming ages for many single individuals, potentially encouraging earlier filing, but often not for married couples.
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Some workers were granted exemptions, and a handful of departments were delaying implementation of the governor’s mandate.
Verb
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And using what looks like a giant pile of gerbil food for half-day cooking projects just feels like cheating.
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The chapters moved from crime rates to cheating teachers to drug dealers living with their mothers, linking unlikely variables with a kind of intellectual mischief that felt almost illicit.
Verb
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Calderón, a big, bald man wearing a gold chain and cross-shaped earrings, sat off to the side, amid an entourage of muscular assistants in polo shirts, poking at his phone.
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If their edges are poking out from your ice sphere, your ice will melt and break apart faster.
Verb
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Of course, attempts to get more revenue out of taxpayers would carry political risks, but voters have been open to squeezing the wealthy.
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Coach Spencer Carbery has done a masterful job of both squeezing what’s left out of the franchise’s best-ever player — Ovechkin led the Caps in both goals (32) and points (64) in 2025-26 — while simultaneously masking the deficiencies that come with age.
Verb
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Compounding concerns, California officials say the Department of Transportation is dragging its feet.
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One small habit that has helped me tremendously is dragging important emails directly into my calendar.
Verb
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As with the studio version, the track began with Lifeson plucking out a delicate intro on a nylon-string guitar before blasting into monster electric riffs.
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Vogue’s beauty shopping editor Kiana Murden became a devotee after plucking it from the beauty closet and using it religiously.
Verb
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But for a growing number of older people, those retirement years are arriving with lingering debt problems attached.
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Irving remains on the roster amid lingering questions about his future after missing all of last season.
Verb
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Langford was injured during Friday’s game after hustling on a double.
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Letting go of the idea that success requires hustling at all costs — and replacing it with goals that feel attainable — can help founders shift toward a more sustainable approach, one where progress doesn't come at the cost of their well-being.
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Cite this Entry
“Diddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diddling. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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