Meanings
verbputter around (third-person singular simple present putters around, present participle puttering around, simple past and past participle puttered around)
present singular third person putters around · participle present puttering around · participle past puttered around · past puttered around · alternative potter around
- USTo engage in meaningless activity.
I can't wait until I'm old enough to "putter around".
1994 January 21, Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes (comic)
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Polish krzątać się
- krzątać sięto engage in meaningless activity
Portuguese ficar de enrolação
- ficar de enrolaçãoto engage in meaningless activity
Cite this entry
APA
putter around. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/putter%20around
MLA
“putter around.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/putter%20around. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “putter around,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/putter%20around.
Source: putter around on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.