Synonyms for putter
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Monkey around
monkey around informal, mess around, monkey, tinker, muck around, muck about
2. Potter
potter, potter around UK, putter around US, trifle
Other
fribble, fanny about slang UK
Definitions
- v. 1
To be active, but not excessively busy, at a task or a series of tasks.
- v. 2
To produce intermittent bursts of sound in the course of operating.
Related words
- Phrases
- putter around
Forms
- Past participle
- puttered
e.g. puttered → monkied, tinkered, pottered, trifled…
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| putter | rising | |
| fribble | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- monkey2, potter2, tinker2, trifle2
- 7 letters
- fribble
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (monkey2 = 2 syllables).