Word
tampering
Phoneticstam·per·ing
US/ˈtæmpɝɪŋ/
UK/tˈæmpəɹɪŋ/
Definition
n. the act of touching or changing something without permission, usually to cause damage or to cheat. You often hear this word when someone tries to break a lock or change a document.
n. the act of interfering with something in a secret or unauthorized way, typically to cause damage, alter results, or gain an unfair advantage.
Examples
“The police found evidence of tampering with the lock.”
“The company added a plastic seal to the bottle to prevent any tampering before the customer buys it.”
“The defense attorney argued that the digital evidence was inadmissible due to potential tampering during the initial stages of the forensic investigation.”
Examples
simple
“The police found evidence of tampering with the lock.”
contextual
“The company added a plastic seal to the bottle to prevent any tampering before the customer buys it.”
complex
“The defense attorney argued that the digital evidence was inadmissible due to potential tampering during the initial stages of the forensic investigation.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'with'.
Pitfall
tampering of the evidence
tampering with the evidence
The noun 'tampering' (and the verb 'tamper') requires the preposition 'with' to indicate the object being interfered with.
Real-World Examples
“In 2006, a Test between England and Pakistan at The Oval was abandoned after the visitors were accused of ball tampering.” “The 14th person charged was described as a student’s father, who is accused of tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation.” Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/tampering