puttered
Busied oneself idly
Puttered is the past tense of putter, meaning to occupy oneself in an unhurried, aimless way with small tasks: He puttered around the garage all Saturday, She puttered in the garden until dusk.
The word suggests pleasant idleness rather than productivity—doing things without urgency or clear purpose.
Toyed idly with
- tinkeredAdjusted without expertise
- dabbledEngaged superficially with
- toyedHandled without seriousness
- tweakedAltered in minor ways
adjusted · fixed · repaired · busied · occupied · messed · fooled · monkeyed
fiddled
Toyed idly with
tweaked · adjusted · fixed · repaired · busied · occupied · messed · fooled · monkeyed · noodled
wandered
Moved without fixed course
- meanderedTraveled without direct course
- ambledWalked slowly, relaxedly
- strolledWalked slowly, casually
sauntered · moseyed · drifted · shuffled · roamed · rambled · loafed · dawdled · lollygagged · traipsed
dawdled
Moved slowly, idly
lagged · delayed · tarried · dillydallied · frittered · wasted · killed time · lazed · lolled · lounged
putteredtoiled
Exerted oneself strenuously
labored · worked hard · slaved away · cranked out · produced
putteredconcentrated
Gathered or intensified
applied oneself · went all out · exerted · strained · attacked
- puttering aroundLeisurely aimless activity
- putter aroundOccupy oneself idly
- puttered aroundMoved without real purpose
- puttering aboutLeisurely aimless activity
- shot putterAthletic sphere heaver
- putter aboutEngage in leisurely activity