busybody

noun

busy·​body ˈbi-zē-ˌbä-dē How to pronounce busybody (audio)
Synonyms of busybodynext
: 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
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.
But Julie seems a victim here of Hedda’s artillery rather than a busybody relative anxious to extend the family line. Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026 Even today, the vast majority of parents, educators, legislators, and other busybodies think teens and kids in general are spending too much time on TikTok, on Instagram Reels, on YouTube Shorts, on social media, on devices, on screens, and online. Philip Maymin, Forbes.com, 21 Feb. 2026 There's just something delightful about Anya Taylor-Joy's take on the meddling, busybody heroine Emma and Johnny Flynn's swoony Mr. Knightley! Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025 The busybody neighbor was hilarious. Marisa Silver september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Busybody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busybody. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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

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