snooping

Poking around uninvited

Snooping is prying into other people's affairs or private spaces without permission.

Someone snooping looks through drawers, reads emails, or listens to conversations they weren't meant to hear: I caught her snooping through my phone.

The word implies furtiveness and nosiness rather than legitimate investigation.

prying

nosey

Intrusively curious

meddlesomeProne to interfering
eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
intrusiveInvading others' privacy

busybody · peeping · curious · gossip · surreptitious · furtive · sneaky · overhearing · inquisitive · uninvited

investigating

sleuthing

Investigative work

detectiveProfessional crime investigator
surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
spyingSecretly observing others

espionage · reconnaissance · probe · scrutiny · inquiry · evidence · clues · forensics · wiretapping · gumshoe

Categories

slang behaviorsgoofing off, messing around, fooling around, horsing around, slacking
cyber threatsmalware, phishing, hacking, virus, ransomware
espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
gossiprumor, rumors, gossip, hearsay, whisper
interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing

Opposites

curiosity about others' affairs

snoopingincuriosity

Absence of inquisitiveness

indifference · incurious · disinterest · impassivity · apathy

respect for privacy/boundaries

snoopingdiscretion

Careful judgment in speech

privacy protection · tactfulness · confidentiality · antisnooping · trustworthiness

Phrases

snooping aroundCovert informal investigation

Family

snoopiest, snoopily, snoopiness

Familiarity: Top 20,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G