meddlesome

IPA/ˈmedlsəm/
KK[mˈɛdəlsəm]IPA/ˈmedlsəm/

meddlesome — adjective

  • meddlesomepositive
  • more meddlesomecomparative
  • most meddlesomesuperlative

1. describes someone who repeatedly involves themselves in matters that do not conc

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes someone who repeatedly involves themselves in matters that do not concern them, often by offering unwanted opinions or advice that irritates others.

Example

Omar grew annoyed with his meddlesome cousin, who always asked about his salary.

meddlesome + family noun (cousin)

Jisoo caught her meddlesome aunt reading her diary in the kitchen one afternoon.

meddlesome + aunt; catch + [person] + -ing

Common collocations
  • meddlesome neighbor
  • meddlesome aunt / uncle / cousin
  • meddlesome reporter
  • meddlesome colleague
  • meddlesome supervisor
Synonyms
  • interfering

    more direct and common; focuses on the act of intervening rather than the personal quality

  • nosy

    more informal; emphasizes curiosity about others' private affairs rather than offering criticism

  • intrusive

    slightly more formal; focuses on violating someone's personal space or privacy

  • prying

    similar to nosy but with a stronger sense of active snooping or seeking secret information

Antonyms
  • hands-off

    describes someone who deliberately avoids interfering in others' affairs

  • unobtrusive

    describes someone who stays in the background without drawing attention or causing disruption

Grammar Patterns

meddlesome + noun

be meddlesome

Usage Note

Commonly precedes nouns referring to people in a personal or social role — neighbor, relative, colleague, supervisor. Less often used for institutions or abstract entities.

Common Mistakes

My boss is very meddlesome, she gives me feedback on my work.
My boss is very involved, she gives me feedback on my work.
'meddlesome' implies unwanted interference in things that are not your business; 'involved' is neutral or positive.
The meddlesome child opened the gift.
The curious child opened the gift.
'meddlesome' implies an annoying habit, not a one-time action.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe unwanted involvement in others' affairs, but the tone and focus differ. 'Interfering' is the most neutral of the group and simply describes someone who steps into situations they should not. 'Nosy' is informal and focuses on a strong, often irritating curiosity about other people's private lives — a nosy person wants to know, not necessarily to act. 'Intrusive' is more formal and emphasizes the feeling of having your personal space or privacy violated; an intrusive question feels like an invasion even if no further action follows. 'Prying' is similar to nosy but with a sharper edge of active searching — a prying relative might look through your drawers or read your mail. For example, an interfering neighbor tells you how to garden, a nosy one watches you from the window, an intrusive one walks into your house uninvited, and a prying one reads your post.

interfering ↗nosy ↗intrusive ↗prying ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English by combining the verb 'meddle' (from Old French 'medler', meaning to mix or to interfere, ultimately from Latin 'miscere' — to mix) with the suffix '-some' (meaning 'characterized by' or 'tending to'). The word therefore literally means 'tending to mix in' — that is, to insert oneself into situations where one does not belong.

First known use

1615

1615, in the meaning defined above