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tamper

UK /ˈtæm.pə(ɹ)/noun, verb

tamper is spelled T-A-M-P-E-R: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,236th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, tamper means “A tool used to tamp something down, such as tobacco in a pipe” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of tamper is tampers.

How many letters and syllables are in tamper?

Letters6: T-A-M-P-E-R
Syllables2 (from its American pronunciation)
In writingabout once in every 1 million words; the 33,236th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Sounds like

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is tamper?

Tamper appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,236th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce tamper?

  • UK /ˈtæm.pə(ɹ)/

Tamper has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-tamper.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Words people confuse with tamper

Sounds like: Tampa (Wiktionary's homophone list; some hold only in some accents).

Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

Forms of tamper

  • tampers plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • tampering participle, present
  • tampered participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does tamper mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    A tool used to tamp something down, such as tobacco in a pipe.

  2. 2

    A railway vehicle used to tamp down ballast.

  3. 3

    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.

verb

  1. 1

    To make unauthorized or improper alterations, sometimes causing deliberate damage; to meddle (with something).

    tamper detection

  2. 2

    To try to influence someone, usually in an illegal or devious way; to try to deal (with someone).

    Prosecutors argued that he would tamper with witnesses if bail was granted.

  3. 3

    datedTo meddle (with something) in order to corrupt or pervert it.

  4. 4

    obsoleteTo involve oneself (in a plot, scheme, etc.).

  5. 5

    obsoleteTo attempt to practise or administer something (especially medicine) without sufficient knowledge or qualifications.

  6. 6

    CanadaUSTo discuss future contracts with a player, against league rules.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Tamper in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
GermanStampfer (person or thing that tamps), Pfeifenstopfer, Tamper (tool), Stopfmaschine, Gleisstopfmaschine (tamping vehicle), einmischen (alter by making unauthorized changes)
Frenchtasse-braise (tool), trafiquer, bricoler, tripoter, bidouiller (alter by making unauthorized changes)
Portugueseadulterar (alter by making unauthorized changes)
Spanishtrucar, truquear, amañar, apañar (alter by making unauthorized changes)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does tamper come from?

From tamp + -er.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after tamper