nosy

\ ˈnō-zē

How to pronounce nosy (audio)

\

variants: or nosey

nosier; nosiest

Definition of nosy

: of prying or inquisitive (see inquisitive sense 2) disposition or quality : intrusive nosy reporters nosy neighbors

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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 Nearly all of those hours are devoted to onstage interviews conducted by a tuxedoed, 43-year-old television presenter named Daithi O Se (pronounced DAW-Hee Oh-Shay), who seems like a cross between a game show host and a nosy uncle. — David Segal, New York Times, "Who’s Irish Now?," 27 Sep. 2019 Even the nosiest local governments can’t roam the streets to peek into windows and identify illicit incandescent bulbs. — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, "Trump Administration Rolls Back LED Light Bulb Standards," 27 Dec. 2019 But now my partner’s uncles (Hispanic families are nosy and complicated) have found out and are outraged at the idea. — New York Times, "What Do I Owe My Free-Spending, Hard-Luck Parents?," 24 Oct. 2019 Tap or click here to turn off those nosy advertisements. 2. — Kim Komando, USA TODAY, "4 ways to get cash back on Amazon," 12 Dec. 2019 Joey released a stream of comic comments tinged with nosy neighbor observations. — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, "Waco, Tex., needed fixing. Luckily, Chip and Joanna Gaines had the tools.," 6 Dec. 2019 Jones and other experts said CJNG and other cartels often use unlikely rural areas near cities for storing and distributing drugs, away from heavy policing and nosy neighbors. — Chris Kenning, courier-journal.com, "‘Right under your nose’: A Mexican cartel turned this rural area into a hidden cocaine hub," 25 Nov. 2019 Chances are, your TV is watching you, too, through a few nosy pixels on the screen. — Anchorage Daily News, "You watch TV. Your TV watches back.," 22 Sep. 2019 Gated, high-hedged and camera-secured, the mansion is barely visible from the public streetfront — nosy pedestrians will catch only a fleeting glimpse of the three-story beige behemoth through a wall of evergreen trees. — Variety.com, The Mercury News, "Photos: Ex-Facebook VP asks $35 million for major-league Silicon Valley mansion," 12 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nosy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

27 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Nosy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosey. Accessed 21 Feb. 2020.

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