as in intruders
a person who meddles in the affairs of others
that busybody across the street is always telling me how to tend to my own garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of busybodies
Keyboard busybodies, naturally, expressed their unsolicited opinions in the comments section.
—
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for busybodies
Noun
-
This time of year, coyotes spend much of their time surveying the boundaries of their territory, marking it and watching for any intruders.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Van Dyke, who owned a hostel for surfers in Puerto Viejo on the country’s Caribbean coast for many years, was with his girlfriend when intruders barged into his residence, the OIJ said.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The gossips leak letters indicating the family’s ruthlessness.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Hometown gossips and lonely girls to the front.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But Lighton doesn’t treat them as sitcom-ish meddlers.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The indelible action-adventure of a pair of kids (Daryl Sabara and Alexa PenaVega) who find out their parents (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) are spies and must go rescue them is so goofy and entertaining.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Dreeke helped catch foreign spies operating on American soil.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Most genocides begin with extraordinarily compelling stories—ones that transform neighbors and friends into interlopers, invaders, infections, and infestations.—
Sayantani DasGupta
February 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Owing to its wealth, the county had caught the attention of political interlopers in the past.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Busybodies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/busybodies. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
