nosing around
Poking into business
Nosing around is poking into matters that aren't your business, typically with curiosity rather than malice.
The image is of an animal sniffing about, following scents wherever they lead: I caught him nosing around in my desk drawers.
Someone nosing around may be harmlessly curious or suspiciously snoopy, depending on context.
- noseOlfactory facial organ
- meddlingIntrusive interference in others' concerns
- inquisitiveEager to learn more
- pryingIntrusively inquisitive
- snoopingSecretly investigating others
spying · probing · peeking · lurking · uncovering · digging up dirt · delving · ferreting · detecting · private eye · questioning · searching · eavesdropping · busybody · interfering · investigating · exploring · scrutinizing
- searchingsearching, rummaging, digging, looking through, finding
- intrusionsintrusion, intrude, intruder, intruding, barging in
intrusiveness into others' affairs
nosing aroundkeeping to oneself
Staying socially isolated
ignoring · looking the other way · disregarding · turning a blind eye · non-interference