NOSING Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

nosing

verb

Definition of nosing

present participle of nose

as in sniffing

to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose could nose the garbage from across the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in interfering

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern a neighbor who likes to nose around in everyone else's business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dragging

to move slowly the line to get tickets is just nosing, so we are going to be here for a while

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nosing

Verb

Dogs and cats may be triggered by this distinctive smell and show unusual behavior when skunks are nearby, such as sniffing or pawing the dirt around the burrow or becoming more protective by growling or hovering near the entrance.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 24 Sep. 2026
Though Leighton appears in front of their home at the end of the episode, the Dessens don’t realize that the MacNamara of their analog world has been sniffing around, too.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of sniffing

Verb

By preventing excess slack and eliminating interfering contours, the PBU minimizes collision risks across complex movement paths.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
Under the law, federal officers are prohibited from interfering in elections.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of interfering

Verb

Both buyers and sellers remain trapped in a wait and see stance, further dragging on a US housing market that has been stagnant for nearly four years.

— , CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
In October 2022, Joseph Ancona, 20, was killed in the Columbus Circle station when his bag was caught in a door, dragging him onto the tracks before he was fatally struck by the train, FOX 5 New York reported at the time.

— James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of dragging

Verb

The deputy also reported smelling alcohol and marijuana, according to the Courier Journal.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Redness, open sores, discharge, foul-smelling ears, lumps or recurring skin issues all warrant a vet visit, not a grooming session.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of smelling

Verb

Introduced crawling through the Trask family’s field, her black blood spattering their rich soil like a human pesticide, Cathy personifies the series’ potent blend of dread and beauty.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2026
But centering a nearly dead Cathy Ames (Florence Pugh) is Kazan’s entire intention with this project, and snagging us with the image of her bloody body crawling toward the Trasks’ farmhouse is a tip of the hand toward where East of Eden is going.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of crawling

Verb

But some people abuse it by inhaling it to feel relaxed or euphoric.

— Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Tottenham attempted to offload Bissouma last summer, and the club later initiated another internal investigation after an image leaked of Bissouma inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon again.

— Colin Millar, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of inhaling

Verb

Sometimes only the tips of the reeds and the seed heads were visible, poking above the murky water, and other times the reeds stood fully exposed, with a clear view of crabs clambering around their bases.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Video posted to social media showed one car nearly submerged, with just its sunroof poking above the water, as people moved other vehicles farther from the rising tides.

— Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of poking

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.

Browse Nearby Words

nosiness

nosing

nosing out

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Style

“Nosing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nosing. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of nosing

verb

Example Sentences

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