prying

1 of 2

adjective

pry·​ing ˈprī-iŋ How to pronounce prying (audio)
Synonyms of pryingnext
: inquisitive in an annoying, officious, or meddlesome way
pryingly adverb

prying

2 of 2

present participle of pry entry 1, pry entry 2

Synonyms of prying

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for prying

curious, inquisitive, prying mean interested in what is not one's personal or proper concern.

curious, a neutral term, basically connotes an active desire to learn or to know.

children are curious about everything

inquisitive suggests impertinent and habitual curiosity and persistent quizzing.

dreaded the visits of their inquisitive relatives

prying implies busy meddling and officiousness.

prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business

Examples of prying in a Sentence

Adjective She tried to escape the prying eyes of her neighbors. as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us
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.
Adjective
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves. — Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023 But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves. — Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023 The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes). — Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022 To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021 Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it. — Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1552, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prying was in 1552

Rhymes for prying

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Browse Nearby Words

pryer
prying
pryingly
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Cite this Entry

“Prying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prying. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

prying

adjective
pry·​ing
: given to asking about other people's affairs especially in an annoying or meddlesome way
pryingly
-iŋ-lē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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