Tweeked or Tweaked? Which is the correct spelling?  

Spelling / By

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the proper spelling for these two words is ‘tweaked’. The word tweaked is an adverb and it has several different meanings. It could mean to make a small adjustment or to pinch.

Continue reading on to learn more about the etymology of the word ‘tweaked’, the definitions of the word, and examples of how to use the same word with different meanings properly in a sentence.

History and Etymology of Tweaked

The word tweak was first documented as appearing in the English language around 1600. It is from the middle English word twikken, which came about roughly one hundred years earlier. The original definition of tweaked was ‘to draw, tug, or pluck.’

In 1966 the word tweaked first appeared with another definition. The newer definition of tweaked was ‘to make fine adjustments.’ The word ‘tweak’ can be either a transitive verb or a noun. Both the verb and noun forms were documented around 1600 as well.

Using Tweaked as a Noun

As previously stated, tweaked can be used as either a verb form or a noun. In order to use tweaked as a noun and can be used in singular or plural forms. Take a look at some examples of sentences that use the word tweaked as a noun.

  • There were a few tweaks made to the original recipe to cut down the spiciness of it.
  • The technical department had to make a few tweaks to my computer to get it running faster.
  • A slight tweak to the leg could cause the football player to sit out the next few games.

Using Tweaked as a Verb or Transitive Verb

The word tweaked can be used as both a verb and a transitive verb. A verb is any word used to describe an action or occurrence. For most sentences that feature ‘tweaked’ as a verb, the word will be an action verb. Here are a few examples of using tweaked as a verb instead of a noun.

  • My sister hates it when our aunt tweaks our cheeks.
  • He was the fastest quarterback the team had ever had until he tweaked his ankle in the last quarter of the game.
  • Her original idea was good, but the team felt that it needed to be tweaked just a little bit.
  • The car will need a gentle tweak to get it started again.
Conor
Latest posts by Conor (see all)