noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈtæm.pə(ɹ)/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -æmpə(ɹ)
homophone: Tampa (non-rhotic)
CMU ARPABET:T AE1 M P ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A person or thing that tamps.
A tool used to tamp something down, such as tobacco in a pipe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tool
2
noun
Meaning 2
A person or thing that tamps.
A railway vehicle used to tamp down ballast.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ballast tamper, tamping machine
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A person or thing that tamps.
An envelope of neutron-reflecting material in a nuclear weapon, used to delay the expansion of the reacting material and thus produce a longer-lasting and more energetic explosion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To make unauthorized or improper alterations, sometimes causing deliberate damage; to meddle (with something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
tamper detection
The alarm had been tampered with and didn’t go off when it should have.
The election monitors found that a large number of ballots had been tampered with.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: interfere
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To try to influence someone, usually in an illegal or devious way; to try to deal (with someone).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Prosecutors argued that he would tamper with witnesses if bail was granted.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To meddle (with something) in order to corrupt or pervert it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
Examples
1716, Joseph Addison, The Free-holder, No. 31, 6 April, 1716, London: D. Midwinter and J. Tonson, p. 180, [...] he was beheaded upon the Defeat of the Conspiracy for having but thus far tampered in it.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To attempt to practise or administer something (especially medicine) without sufficient knowledge or qualifications.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To discuss future contracts with a player, against league rules.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tap up
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
a tool for tamping (e.g., for tamping tobacco into a pipe bowl or a charge into a drill hole etc.)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tamp, tamping bar
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tool
Narrower terms: stemmer
11
verb
Meaning 11
play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Someone tampered with the documents on my desk
The reporter fiddle with the facts
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fiddle, monkey
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: manipulate
12
verb
Meaning 12
intrude in other people's affairs or business; interfere unwantedly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Don't meddle in my affairs!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: meddle
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: intervene, step in, interfere, interpose
History
Etymology
From tamp + -er.
From Middle French temprer (“to temper, mix, meddle”). Doublet of temper.
Across languages
Translations
91 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
трамбовчик
(trambovčik)
— person or thing that tamps
German:
Stampfer
— person or thing that tamps
Polish:
ubijacz
— person or thing that tamps
Polish:
ubijaczka
— person or thing that tamps
Bulgarian:
трамбовка
(trambovka)
— tool
Czech:
dusátko
— tool
Czech:
podbiják
— tool
French:
tasse-braise
— tool
German:
Pfeifenstopfer
— tool
German:
Tamper
— tool
German:
Stampfer
— tool
Italian:
mazzaranga
— tool
Italian:
mazzeranga
— tool
Italian:
pillo
— tool
Italian:
pestello
— tool
Italian:
mazzapicchio
— tool
Norwegian Bokmål:
tamper
— tool
Polish:
ubijak
— tool
Russian:
пест
(pest)
— tool
Czech:
podbíječka
— tamping vehicle
German:
Stopfmaschine
— tamping vehicle
German:
Gleisstopfmaschine
— tamping vehicle
Polish:
podbijarka torowa
— tamping vehicle
Arabic:
عَبِثَ
(ʕabiṯa)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Bulgarian:
бърникам
(bǎrnikam)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Bulgarian:
меся се
(mesja se)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Chinese Mandarin:
竄改 /窜改
(cuàngǎi)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Chinese Mandarin:
篡改
(cuàngǎi)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Chinese Mandarin:
亂動 /乱动
(luàndòng)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Chinese Mandarin:
干涉
(gānshè)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Czech:
(neoprávněně) zasahovat
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Czech:
manipulovat
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Czech:
zmanipulovat
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Czech:
vrtat se
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Danish:
snyde
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Dutch:
prutsen met
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Dutch:
manipuleren
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Finnish:
sormeilla
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Finnish:
peukaloida
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Finnish:
kajota
— alter by making unauthorized changes
French:
trafiquer
— alter by making unauthorized changes
French:
bricoler
— alter by making unauthorized changes
French:
tripoter
— alter by making unauthorized changes
French:
bidouiller
— alter by making unauthorized changes
German:
einmischen
— alter by making unauthorized changes
German:
fälschen
— alter by making unauthorized changes
German:
manipulieren
— alter by making unauthorized changes
German:
herumhantieren
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Icelandic:
eiga við
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Icelandic:
fikta
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Icelandic:
fikta í
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Italian:
manomettere
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Italian:
falsificare
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Italian:
alterare
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Italian:
manipolare
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Japanese:
弄くる
(ijikuru)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Japanese:
弄る
(ijiru)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Māori:
pororua
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Māori:
raweke
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Norwegian Bokmål:
tukle
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Norwegian Bokmål:
manipulere
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Norwegian Bokmål:
modifisere
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Polish:
manipulować
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Polish:
zmanipulować
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Polish:
majstrować
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Polish:
zmajstrować
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Portuguese:
adulterar
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Russian:
по́ртить
(pórtitʹ)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Russian:
искажа́ть
(iskažátʹ)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Russian:
фальсифици́ровать
(falʹsificírovatʹ)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Russian:
подде́лывать
(poddélyvatʹ)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Russian:
наноси́ть уще́рб
(nanosítʹ uščérb)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Russian:
вози́ться
(vozítʹsja)
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Serbo-Croatian:
falsificirati
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Serbo-Croatian:
manipulirati
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Serbo-Croatian:
krivotvoriti
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
alterar
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
manipular
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
trucar
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
amañar
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
apañar
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
truquear
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Spanish:
adulterar
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Swedish:
manipulera
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Swedish:
mixtra
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Turkish:
hile karıştırmak
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Turkish:
karıştırmak
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Turkish:
rüşvetle kandırmak
— alter by making unauthorized changes
Polish:
omawiać przyszłe kontrakty z graczem
— (sports) to discuss future contracts
Polish:
omówić przyszłe kontrakty z graczem
— (sports) to discuss future contracts
Spanish:
hacer trampas
— (sports) to discuss future contracts
