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 Tired of renting vacation homes with obnoxious and nosy neighbors? Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2024 There is no end to the nosy, rude and sometimes stupid questions people ask. Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024 There’s only so many things that can happen to a detective that gets a little bit too nosy in the Power universe. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 1 Dec. 2023 This Privacy Fence is thicker and more effective than its competition, providing complete privacy from nosy neighbors and passers-by. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2024 Suburban horror is effective because no over the top movie monster can be more menacing than one's nosy neighbors. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 5 Oct. 2023 That work is often left to zealous attorneys, nosy reporters or occasional oversight committees. Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024 The main focus is their friends Shelby (Brittany O’Grady) and Cyrus (James Morosini), together since college but still not hitched, a subject of much nosy speculation. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2024 The assignment doesn’t cast much dread on the proceedings, even after a nosy associate (Adam Nagaitis) issues a warning to Wilson that his new amigos have some ties to the target. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 25 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nosy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near nosy

Cite this Entry

“Nosy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

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