prying
Meddling in business
Prying describes intrusive curiosity about other people's private affairs.
Prying eyes watch what's not their business; prying questions dig where they're unwelcome: She resented her mother's prying.
To pry is to inquire too closely: I don't mean to pry, but are you two dating?
A separate pry means to lever something open or apart: pry the lid off, pry information out of someone.
Intrusively curious
- busybodyIntrusive meddler
- gossipInformal talk spreading rumors
- eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
- rubberneckingStaring at spectacles curiously
peeping · gawking · earwigging · overhearing · peering · spying · sneaking · lurking
Intrusive interference in others' concerns
- meddlesomeProne to interfering
- interferingIntruding in others' affairs
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- obtrusiveUnpleasantly prominent or noticeable
pushy · overbearing · presumptuous · impertinent · officious · unwelcome · uninvited · nosy
Pivoting bar for lifting
- crowbarMetal prying lever
- wedgeTapered splitting tool
- forceStrength or compulsion
- jimmySmall prying bar
wrench · extract · remove · dislodge · loosen · separate · open · lift
Thoroughly investigating something
- diggingRemoving earth below
- delvingResearching intensively
- investigatingSeeking facts systematically
- examiningInspecting with care
scrutinizing · questioning · interrogating · inquiring · researching · uncovering · exposing · ferreting
Secretly observing others
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- watchingActively looking at something
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- tailingSecretly following someone
shadowing · stakeout · wiretapping · bugging · eavesdropping · reconnaissance · espionage · undercover
nosy
Intrusively curious
- busybodyIntrusive meddler
- gossipInformal talk spreading rumors
- eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
rubbernecking · peeping · gawking · earwigging · overhearing · peering · spying · sneaking · lurking · watching
meddling
Intrusive interference in others' concerns
- meddlesomeProne to interfering
- interferingIntruding in others' affairs
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
obtrusive · pushy · overbearing · presumptuous · impertinent · officious · unwelcome · uninvited · nosy · forward
lever
Pivoting bar for lifting
jimmy · wrench · extract · remove · dislodge · loosen · separate · open · lift · pull
probing
Thoroughly investigating something
- diggingRemoving earth below
- delvingResearching intensively
- investigatingSeeking facts systematically
examining · scrutinizing · questioning · interrogating · inquiring · researching · uncovering · exposing · ferreting · sleuthing
spying
Secretly observing others
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- watchingActively looking at something
- trackingMonitoring location over time
tailing · shadowing · stakeout · wiretapping · bugging · eavesdropping · reconnaissance · espionage · undercover · covert
- extractingmining, drilling, juicing, pulling, yanking
- gossiprumor, rumors, gossip, hearsay, whisper
- interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing
- opening actionsopen, opening, unlock, unlocking, unlatch
- pet peevesannoyance, loud chewing, irritation, loud talking, frustration
- searchingsearching, rummaging, digging, looking through, finding
pryingincurious
Lacking desire to learn
uncurious · indifferent · uninterested · apathetic · disinterested
pryingunobtrusive
Not readily noticed
hands-off · respectful · discreet · tactful · unintrusive