meddlesome

adjective

med·​dle·​some ˈme-dᵊl-səm 

: given to meddling

meddlesomeness noun

Synonyms

• busy
• interfering
• intruding
• intrusive
• meddling
• nosy
• nosey
• obtrusive
• officious
• presuming
• presumptuous
• protrusive
• prying
• pushing
• pushy
• snoopy

Choose the Right Synonym for meddlesome

impertinent, officious, meddlesome, intrusive, obtrusive mean given to thrusting oneself into the affairs of others.

impertinent implies exceeding the bounds of propriety in showing interest or curiosity or in offering advice.

resented their impertinent interference

officious implies the offering of services or attentions that are unwelcome or annoying.

officious friends made the job harder

meddlesome stresses an annoying and usually prying interference in others' affairs.

a meddlesome landlord

intrusive implies a tactless or otherwise objectionable thrusting into others' affairs.

tried to be helpful without being intrusive

obtrusive stresses improper or offensive conspicuousness of interfering actions.

expressed an obtrusive concern for his safety

Examples of meddlesome in a Sentence

Her neighbors saw her as a meddlesome nuisance.

meddlesome neighbors kept asking the couple when they were going to have children

Recent Examples on the Web

The special ops unit chases every lead possible, from bribes to Mexican drug cartels, a meddlesome L.A. District Attorney (Merrick McCartha) and corruption in the government of Belarus. —Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 June 2025

Also on deck for Lionsgate are Good Fortune starring Keanu Reeves as a meddlesome angel along with Seth Rogen and Aziz Ansar and Hunger Games helmer Francis Lawrence’s Stephen King adaptation, The Long Walk. —Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 17 June 2025

The new president, Karol Nawrocki, and his allies in the opposition Law and Justice party see the EU as a meddlesome bureaucracy, with a liberal agenda that threatens Polish sovereignty. —Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025

The crisis involves a body and a ticking clock, as well as a zany, meddlesome doorman (Method Man, always welcome) added for good measure. —Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

meddlesome

adjective

med·​dle·​some ˈmed-ᵊl-səm 

: inclined to meddle

meddlesomely adverb