busybody

noun

busy·​body ˈbi-zē-ˌbä-dē How to pronounce busybody (audio)
: an officious or inquisitive person

Examples of busybody in a Sentence

The neighborhood busybody is telling everyone that the couple up the street is getting divorced. that busybody across the street is always telling me how to tend to my own garden
Recent Examples on the Web
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Fiona Shaw plays the maiden sister of Roger Muldoon, friend of Grace, general busybody, possessor of zero ability to read a room. Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024 This style of browsing is distinct from the hunter and the busybody, as the dancer weaves a path through new information across broad subjects that have some tangible link. New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2024 The moment of recognition is fleeting but will soon enough be pivotal to the show — especially as it is cushioned by many a microaggression on both women (one Black, one Jewish) at the hands of the busybody store employees. Manuel Betancourt, Vulture, 19 July 2024 Conservatives have long scorned Democrats as overbearing busybodies who want to take away your freedoms to make money, own guns, operate a business and cook with gas. Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for busybody 

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of busybody was in 1526

Dictionary Entries Near busybody

Cite this Entry

“Busybody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busybody. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

busybody

noun
busy·​body ˈbiz-ē-ˌbäd-ē How to pronounce busybody (audio)
: a person who meddles in the affairs of others

More from Merriam-Webster on busybody

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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