meddle

verb

med·​dle ˈme-dᵊl How to pronounce meddle (audio)
meddled; meddling
ˈmed-liŋ, 
ˈme-dᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce meddle (audio)
Synonyms of meddle

intransitive verb

: to interest oneself in what is not one's concern : interfere without right or propriety (see propriety sense 1)
… I never meddle in other people's private affairs …—George Bernard Shaw
meddler
ˈmed-lər How to pronounce meddle (audio) ˈme-dᵊl-ər How to pronounce meddle (audio)
noun

Synonyms of meddle

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Examples of meddle in a Sentence

please stop meddling in your sister's marriage, even though you mean well
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Which of these adults will have their real estate crimes interrupted by those meddling kids and their puppy? — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Trump has continued to meddle with the Fed, including reinstating an effort on weak evidence to fire Governor Lisa Cook. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 There are already examples of people meddling in real-world events for a payout. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for meddle

Word History

Etymology

Middle English medlen, from Anglo-French mesler, medler, from Vulgar Latin *misculare, from Latin miscēre to mix — more at mix

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of meddle was in the 14th century

Rhymes for meddle

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Browse Nearby Words

Medan
meddle
meddler
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Cite this Entry

“Meddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meddle. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

meddle

verb
med·​dle ˈmed-ᵊl How to pronounce meddle (audio)
meddled; meddling ˈmed-liŋ How to pronounce meddle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
: to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
meddle in another's business
meddler
ˈmed-lər How to pronounce meddle (audio)
-ᵊl-ər
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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