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

While exploring the neighborhood, his dog, Betty, took off and sprinted through the open door of an empty house, sniffing around yet completely at ease.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Eventually, Bird’s film — with a script co-written by Matthew Robbins — gets to the meat of the action when Venus’ extremely complicated life runs smack into Ray and his knack for sniffing out bad guys.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of sniffing

Verb

The Republican representatives are also requesting an update on former Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, who was charged with interfering in public procurement for road construction.

— Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro also warned Canada last month against interfering in the midterms.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of interfering

Verb

Difficulties dragging the Tyler Technologies project over the finish line dogged Preckwinkle throughout the primary.

— A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
After years of dragging friends through intense physical activities—zip-lining, gymnastics, pole, and even aerial skills—a game show felt like a lighter option, something everyone could enjoy.

— Chanté Joseph, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of dragging

Verb

Regularly washing your dog’s bed helps keep your home smelling fresh and gives your four-legged family member a cleaner place to rest.

— Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026
The Brewers, smelling its first World Series title in franchise history after 22-year-old Cooper Pratt broke an innings-long 2-2 tie with a solo home run in the top of the 13th inning, were just three outs away from celebrating.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of smelling

Verb

Insects crawling around three-compartment sink and hand wash sink in kitchen.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Pack a blackout sleep mask just in case There’s nothing worse than finally crawling into your hotel bed after a long travel day, only to discover that the curtains don’t fully close and a streetlight is shining directly onto your pillow.

— Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of crawling

Verb

Over time, inhaling these irritants can trigger chronic airway inflammation, irreversible lung tissue scarring, and obstructive pulmonary conditions.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Without a mask, without fear of needing lung implants, without having to worry about inhaling a soupçon of strychnine or similar industrial pollutants.

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of inhaling

Verb

But with just a step to her other side or a shake of her head on stage, the near-auburn shade moves to the forefront, with dimensional pieces of golden blonde poking through.

— Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2026
The smallest of the dogs, a fluffy little white-and-gray thing, is poking out of a red box on the dog keeper’s lap.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 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

See all Nearby Words

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Style

“Nosing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nosing. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of nosing

verb

Example Sentences

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