prying
adjective
pry·ing ˈprī-iŋ 
: inquisitive in an annoying, officious, or meddlesome way
pryingly adverb
Synonyms
- curious
- inquisitive
- nosy
- nosey
- snoopy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 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 Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers. Eoin O'carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017 One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes. Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
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 Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers. Eoin O'carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017 One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes. Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017 Word History
First Known Use
1552, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
prying
adjective
pry·ing
ˈprī-iŋ
: rudely nosy
prying questions
prying 1 of 4
adjective
1
as in curious
interested in what is not one's own business as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- curious
- nosy
- inquisitive
- nosey
- questioning
- snoopy
- interfering
- interested
- meddling
- intrusive
- meddlesome
- officious
- obtrusive
- concerned
- inquisitional
- interrogative
- inquisitorial
- quizzical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disinterested
- indifferent
- uninterested
- incurious
- unconcerned
- uncurious
- apathetic
2
as in intruding
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business Synonyms & Similar Words
- intruding
- busy
- pushing
- interfering
- nosy
- meddling
- intrusive
- meddlesome
- officious
- annoying
- snoopy
- obtrusive
- nosey
- pushy
- trespassing
- invading
- presuming
- presumptuous
- rude
- protrusive
- impudent
- brazen
- curious
- inquisitive
- insolent
- harassing
- bumptious
- impertinent
- overbearing
- bold
- pestiferous
- superserviceable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unobtrusive
- reclusive
- quiet
- silent
- uninvolved
- reticent
- withdrawn
- restrained
- retiring
- taciturn
- inhibited
- hands-off
- reserved
- subdued
prying
2 of 4noun
as in questioning
Synonyms & Similar Words
- questioning
- interrogation
- inquiry
- interference
- intrusiveness
- concern
- attentiveness
- wonderment
- inquisitiveness
- eavesdropping
- interest
- nosiness
- obtrusiveness
- officiousness
- curiosity
- meddlesomeness
- regard
- rubbernecking
- curiousness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifference
- disregard
- incuriosity
- incuriousness
- unconcern
- disinterestedness
- apathy
prying
3 of 4verb (1)
1
as in pulling
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever it took some effort to pry up the trap door Synonyms & Similar Words
- pulling
- lifting
- levering
- jimmying
- breaking
- separating
- dividing
- elevating
- shifting
- prizing
- detaching
- hoisting
- disengaging
- parting
- uplifting
- disjoining
- breaking up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- connecting
- joining
2
as in yanking
to draw out by force or with effort a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle Synonyms & Similar Words
- pulling
- yanking
- extracting
- plucking
- removing
- uprooting
- prizing
- corkscrewing
- wringing
- wresting
- mining
- withdrawing
- tearing (out)
- rooting (out)
- taking (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- inserting
- installing
- instilling
- jamming
- wedging
- implanting
- stuffing
- ramming
- cramming
prying
4 of 4verb (2)
as in interfering
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern don't go prying into other people's business Synonyms & Similar Words
- interfering
- snooping
- messing
- poking
- intruding
- meddling
- obtruding
- intermeddling
- intervening
- interloping
- nosing
- butting in
- invading
- encroaching
- interceding
- fooling
- interposing
- trespassing
- mucking (about or around)
- tampering
- fiddling
- infringing
- monkeying
- playing
- chiselling (in)
- chiseling (in)
- barging (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- avoiding
- shunning
- ignoring
- eschewing
- disregarding
- neglecting
- overlooking
Synonym Chooser
The words curious and inquisitive are common synonyms of prying. While all three words mean "interested in what is not one's personal or proper concern," prying implies busy meddling and officiousness.
prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business
While in some cases nearly identical to prying, curious, a neutral term, basically connotes an active desire to learn or to know.
children are curious about everything
The words inquisitive and prying are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inquisitive suggests impertinent and habitual curiosity and persistent quizzing.
dreaded the visits of their inquisitive relatives
- unchristian
- unchristianise
- unchristianised
- unchristianises
- unchristianising
- unchristianize
- unchristianized
- unchristianizes
- unchristianizing
- unchristianly
- unchronicled
- unchronological
- unchronologically
- unchurch
- unchurched
- unchurches
- unchurching
- unchurchliness
- unchurchly
- unci
- uncia
- unciae
- uncial
- uncialer
- uncialest