Synonyms of meddling

meddling 1 of 3

adjective

as in busy

thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited

the bride's parents promised that they would never be meddling in-laws

Synonyms & Similar Words

• busy
• intruding
• interfering
• meddlesome
• officious
• intrusive
• annoying
• obtrusive
• prying
• nosy
• pushy
• pushing
• snoopy
• presumptuous
• rude
• protrusive
• presuming
• invading
• impudent
• brazen
• bumptious
• insolent
• trespassing
• curious
• impertinent
• inquisitive
• overbearing
• harassing
• pestiferous
• bold
• superserviceable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unobtrusive
• uninvolved
• withdrawn
• silent
• quiet
• hands-off
• reclusive
• retiring
• reticent
• inhibited
• restrained
• reserved
• taciturn
• subdued

meddling

2 of 3

noun

as in interference

Related Words

• interference
• assistance
• teaching
• coaching
• mentoring
• preaching
• prompting
• instruction
• tutoring
• briefing
• priming
• moralizing
• kibitzing
• direction
• observation
• lesson
• pontificating
• speech
• verdict
• exhortation
• judgment
• lecture
• warning
• sermon
• solution
• consideration
• data
• remonstrance
• thought
• information
• alert
• cautioning
• remonstration
• expostulation
• forewarning
• advisement
• alarm
• feedback
• answer
• caution
• urging
• tip
• pointer
• hint

meddling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of meddle

as in interfering

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern

please stop meddling in your sister's marriage, even though you mean well

Synonyms & Similar Words

• interfering
• messing
• snooping
• poking
• intervening
• intruding
• prying
• intermeddling
• interloping
• obtruding
• nosing
• invading
• mucking (about or around)
• butting in
• encroaching
• tampering
• interceding
• fooling
• trespassing
• fiddling
• interposing
• infringing
• playing
• monkeying
• chiseling (in)
• barging (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• ignoring
• shunning
• neglecting
• disregarding
• eschewing
• overlooking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of meddling

Adjective

Practical, traditional and somewhat meddling, Aunt Maysilee places importance on societal norms. — Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026

Noun

Mel might be a disaster with her loud mouth and impolite antics, but her over-the-top meddling does her buddies some good. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Their meddling repeatedly yielded devastating outcomes, however, contributing to a military coup in Egypt and several civil wars. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Continue reading … OPINION HUGH HEWITT — Supreme Court should let Trump secure the White House without judicial meddling. — FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent history suggests that the only effective counter to such meddling is a public statement alerting voters to the deception, by some credibly neutral, nonpartisan authority. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

From the United States losing in the round of 16 after the whole Folarin Balogun saga, to Argentina eventually going down to Spain in the final, the outcomes on the field in the end minimized whispers about potential FIFA meddling. — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

The warning comes after hackers targeted more than 30 municipal water facilities in Minnesota in an attack that had hallmarks of Iranian meddling, according to a law enforcement official. — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 31 July 2026

So perhaps, Brooks suggests, Shai meddling in this new potential romance between her and Liam has more to do with his own feelings rather than Hudson’s. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 30 July 2026

Public materials and Hamas documents show the terrorist group meddling in OCHA programs to control aid distribution and conceal identities of members who could be recipients, NGO Monitor found. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 23 July 2026

Verb

Francis had been meddling in Elijah’s music career for a few weeks and their feud has gone from the studio to the ring. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Emma Woodhouse entertains herself by meddling in the romantic affairs of her neighbors. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

This has unsettled some Pentagon officials who fear the scrutiny will invite meddling. — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent events involving a former ICC Prosecutor accused of improperly meddling in the dispute between the South Caucasus nations of Armenia and Azerbaijan show why Congress and the State Department have had reason to be so concerned. — Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Carlisle’s exit came at a time of turbulence for 60 Minutes, which has been rocked by accusations of meddling under new ownership from David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance. — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026

North Carolina lawmakers attempted to wrest control of the facility from Charlotte last decade due to concerns of meddling by the city. — Dj Simmons july 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026

This is the fourth installment, with Red (daughter of the Queen of Hearts) and Chloe Charming (daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming) coming to terms with the consequences of meddling with the timeline in the last movie. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026

On Tuesday night, the Maine Democratic Party publicly accused the campaign of meddling in the succession process. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026