variants or nosey
nosier; nosiest
: of prying or inquisitive (see inquisitive sense 2) disposition or quality : intrusive
nosy reporters
nosy neighbors
nosily adverb
nosiness noun

Examples of nosy in a Sentence

nosy in-laws asking about our finances a nosy coworker sat down right next to us as we were having an unmistakably private conversation
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lucky for him, Lizzy is the only person in his sightline and, even more conveniently, not a single one of her friends, nor her nosy, meddling mother, follows her even one step outside the church when Lizzy stops short of entering and asks for a minute. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 July 2025 For Love Island fans who aren’t caught up, as well as anyone else who’s nosy by nature (hi), here’s the TL;DR on Cierra’s shocking Love Island USA departure. Sam Reed, Glamour, 7 July 2025 Just ask season 10 American Idol runner-up and country singer Lauren Alaina, who took to her Insta on Monday (July 7) to clap back at a nosy Nancy who seemed to know exactly what the 30-year-old new mom should be doing to help month-old daughter Beni Doll Arnold. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 July 2025 The series centers on Italian American sports writer Ray Barone (Romano), living with his wife and kids in Long Island, who must deal with his overbearing and nosy parents who live across the street, as well as his older brother’s frequent jealousy of his success. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for nosy

Word History

Etymology

nose entry 1

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nosy was in 1828

Cite this Entry

“Nosy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosy. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

nosy

adjective
variants or nosey
nosier; nosiest
: of a prying or inquisitive disposition or quality : intrusive
nosily adverb
nosiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on nosy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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