tweak
gb/twˈik/ us/twˈik/
B2
English
~ 8400
finomít, finomhangol, finomítás, apró módosítás, megcsíp, meghúz, kisebb húzódás, bepörög, bosszant, bánt
VERB
B2
1
finomít
B2
finomhangol
C1
Usage pattern:
to tweak [something]
We just need to tweak the schedule before we send it out.
Már csak finomítanunk kell egy kicsit az ütemterven, mielőtt kiküldjük.
I tweaked the logo colors to make them a bit brighter.
Kicsit finomítottam a logó színein, hogy valamivel élénkebbek legyenek.
The developer tweaked the code to fix a small bug.
You can tweak the sound settings until the music feels right.
She tweaked her presentation after getting feedback from her manager.
Learner examples
I will tweak the plan after I talk to my boss.
Majd finomítok a terven, miután beszéltem a főnökömmel.
He tweaked the recipe and added more salt.
Kicsit finomított a recepten, és több sót tett bele.
You should tweak the settings on your phone.
They tweaked the website to make it easier to use.
The teacher tweaked the test to make it more fair.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'tweak' means to change something a lot. It almost always means a small change. They may also confuse it with 'twist' (to turn something) or 'tweet' (a message on Twitter/X).
Meaning
make a small adjustment
Collocations
tweak a design
|tweak the settings
|tweak the plan
|tweak the recipe
|tweak the system
Synonyms
adjust (Very close in meaning, but does not always carry the idea of only a small change.)
|
fine-tune (Suggests careful small changes to reach an ideal result, often more technical or detailed.)
|
modify (More general word for changing something; the change may be small or large, not necessarily minor.)
Antonyms
maintain (Emphasizes keeping something as it is, without changing it.)
Themes
daily life
|work
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To change something a little so it works or looks better.
To make a small change to something in order to improve it, correct it, or make it work better.
NOUN
B2
2
finomítás
B2
Usage pattern:
a tweak to [something]
After a few tweaks, the app ran much faster.
Néhány finomítás után az alkalmazás sokkal gyorsabban futott.
The design only needs a slight tweak before we print it.
A terven már csak egy apró finomításra van szükség, mielőtt kinyomtatjuk.
We made some last-minute tweaks to the contract.
With a couple of tweaks to the recipe, it tasted perfect.
These settings tweaks should fix the issue you're having.
Learner examples
The teacher made a small tweak to the test.
A tanár egy apró módosítást végzett a teszten.
After one tweak, the machine worked well.
Egyetlen finomítás után a gép jól működött.
He suggested a few tweaks to my email.
We need a little tweak to the plan.
This tweak will make the game more fun.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'a tweak' with 'a twist'. 'Twist' is usually a physical action or a surprising change in a story, while 'tweak' is a small improvement or correction.
Meaning
small adjustment or change
Collocations
a slight tweak
|a minor tweak
|a few tweaks
|make a tweak
|software tweaks
Synonyms
adjustment (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal and common in technical or official contexts.)
|
modification (More general; can describe both small and large changes, not always minor.)
Themes
daily life
|work
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small change that makes something better or fixes a problem.
A small change made to something in order to improve it, correct it, or make it work better.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
to tweak [someone's body part]
She tweaked his ear to get his attention.
Meghúzta a fülét, hogy magára vonja a figyelmét.
The old man playfully tweaked the child's nose.
Az öregember játékosan megcsípte a gyerek orrát.
He tweaked my cheek and laughed.
The coach tweaked his beard while he thought.
She tweaked the baby's toes and made him giggle.
Learner examples
The girl tweaked her brother's ear.
A lány meghúzta a fiútestvére fülét.
He tweaked my nose for fun.
Játékból megcsípte az orromat.
She tweaked the baby's cheek gently.
The man tweaked his mustache while he waited.
My friend tweaked my ear, and it hurt a little.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this verb meaning is common in modern speech. In everyday English, this physical sense exists but is less frequent than the ‘small change’ meaning, and the more usual word is often just 'pinch' or 'pull'.
Meaning
pinch or pull sharply
Collocations
tweak his nose
|tweak her ear
|tweak my cheek
|tweak his beard
|gently tweak
Synonyms
pinch (Very close in meaning; often suggests more pressure and pain, while 'tweak' can be playful or light.)
|
pull (More general; does not suggest using just the fingers or a small area, as 'tweak' does.)
Antonyms
stroke (Means to move your hand gently over something, the opposite of a sharp pinch or pull.)
Themes
body
|physical actions
|daily_life
Definition
To take a small part of something, like an ear or nose, between your fingers and pull it quickly.
To pinch or pull a small part of something, usually of the body, quickly and sharply with the fingers.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
a tweak in [a body part]
He sat out the game with a minor hamstring tweak.
Kisebb combhajlítóizom-húzódás miatt kihagyta a meccset.
I've got a little back tweak from lifting those boxes.
Kicsit meghúzódott a hátam, amikor azokat a dobozokat emeltem.
She felt a tweak in her knee and stopped running.
The player said it was just a tweak, nothing serious.
I took a day off the gym because of a shoulder tweak.
Learner examples
He has a small tweak in his back.
Kicsit meghúzódott a háta.
I felt a tweak in my knee when I ran.
Futás közben egy kis húzódást éreztem a térdemben.
She has a hamstring tweak but still wants to play.
I got a little tweak in my shoulder at the gym.
The doctor said it is only a small tweak, not a big injury.
Common mistake:
Learners might not recognize this as a health word and may think it only has the 'small change' meaning. In sports news, 'tweak' often refers to a minor muscle or joint injury.
Meaning
small muscle or joint injury
Collocations
a hamstring tweak
|a back tweak
|a knee tweak
|a minor tweak
|playing through a tweak
Synonyms
strain (More general medical/sports term for a muscle injury; may suggest something a bit more serious than a 'tweak'.)
Themes
health
|sports
|body
Definition
A small hurt in a muscle or joint that gives you some pain but is not a big injury.
A slight injury to a muscle, joint, or similar body part that causes mild pain but is not serious.
VERB
C1
SLANG
5
bepörög
B2
Usage pattern:
to tweak (often: to tweak on [drug])
He was clearly tweaking on something and couldn't stop talking.
Nyilvánvalóan be volt pörögve valamitől, és nem tudta abbahagyni a beszédet.
They had been tweaking all weekend and looked exhausted.
Egész hétvégén be voltak pörögve, és kimerültnek tűntek.
She gets paranoid and starts tweaking when she does too much of that stuff.
The guy at the bus stop was tweaking so hard he couldn't stand still.
Police said the driver seemed to be tweaking on meth at the time of the crash.
Learner examples
The man was tweaking and shaking on the street.
A férfi az utcán be volt pörögve és remegett.
He was tweaking on drugs and could not sit still.
Be volt pörögve a drogoktól, és nem tudott nyugton ülni.
They were tweaking all night after using meth.
She started tweaking and talking very fast.
The police thought the driver was tweaking on something.
Common mistake:
Learners may not know this is strong drug-related slang and might think it just means 'a little excited'. It usually describes extreme, unhealthy, or drug-fueled excitement or nervous behavior.
Meaning
be hyper from stimulant drugs
Collocations
tweak all night
|tweaking hard
|tweak on meth
|tweak on something
|really tweaking
Synonyms
freak out (Informal phrase for losing control emotionally; not always drug-related and less specific to stimulants.)
Antonyms
relax (Means to become calm and not nervous or overexcited, the opposite of 'tweaking'.)
Themes
health
|drugs
Definition
To act very nervous and too excited, usually because of strong drugs like methamphetamine.
To behave in a very nervous, excited, or agitated way because of using stimulant drugs, especially methamphetamine; sometimes also, to be in such a state even without drugs.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
6
Usage pattern:
to tweak [someone] / to tweak [someone's feelings]
The comment clearly tweaked him, even though he tried to laugh it off.
A megjegyzés láthatóan bántotta, bár próbálta nevetéssel elütni a dolgot.
Her joke about his age really tweaked his pride.
A korával kapcsolatos vicce igencsak bántotta a büszkeségét.
You could see the reporter's question tweak the coach a little.
The criticism tweaked her, but she didn't say anything.
That kind of remark is going to tweak a lot of people.
Learner examples
The joke tweaked him, and he looked angry.
A vicc bosszantotta, és dühösnek tűnt.
Her words tweaked his feelings.
A szavai bántották az érzéseit.
The question tweaked the boss, but he stayed calm.
That comment will tweak many people online.
His pride was tweaked by her reply.
Common mistake:
Learners may only know the 'small change' meaning and not realize it can be used about feelings. In this sense, 'tweak' is close to 'annoy', but usually sounds a bit lighter or more specific.
Meaning
slightly annoy or upset
Collocations
tweak someone
|tweak his pride
|tweak her nerves
|tweak his ego
|tweak their feelings
Synonyms
annoy (Very close in meaning; 'tweak' often suggests a smaller or more specific emotional reaction.)
|
irritate (Can sound slightly more formal or stronger; 'tweak' often implies just a small or brief reaction.)
Antonyms
please (Means to make someone feel happy or satisfied, the opposite of annoying them.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|relationships
Definition
To bother or upset someone a little.
To make someone feel slightly annoyed, upset, or emotionally touched, often in a way that is not very serious.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tweak
IPA
GB/twˈik/
US/twˈik/
Syllables & stress
tweak (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (tweak)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tweak
- Plural: tweaks
Verb
- Base: tweak
- 3rd Person Singular: tweaks
- Present Participle: tweaking
- Past: tweaked
Word family
Forms
tweaks
noun
tweaking
verb
tweaked
verb
Advanced or less common
tweakable
adjective
Expressions
tweak out
1/twˈik ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
slang
lose control from stimulant drugs
To act very nervous, wild, or out of control, usually because of strong drugs like methamphetamine.
Examples
- He was totally tweaking out in the parking lot, talking to himself and shaking.
- They stayed up all night tweaking out on meth.
- She started to tweak out after taking too many pills.