nosey
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does nosey mean? Nosey is used to describe someone who asks too many questions about or otherwise prys into other people’s business because they are overly curious about it. It’s especially used to describe someone who does this all the time. Nosey is more commonly spelled nosy. The related phrasal verbs nose in and stick one’s nose in mean to get into other people’s business—to pry or snoop. People who are considered nosey are known for prying, snooping, asking overly personal questions, eavesdropping (listening to other people’s conversations), and generally nosing into other people’s business. Nosey can also be used to describe such a person’s behavior and the kinds of questions they ask, as in I ignored all of his nosey questions about my medical history. Although the term implies a lack of respect for other people’s privacy, calling someone nosey is usually only mildly negative and is often somewhat playful. It’s not usually used in situations that involve serious or harmful violations of privacy. The word is sometimes used to address or refer to someone as a way of saying that they are nosey, as in Hey, nosey, quit looking in my notebook. Example: My neighbor is as nosey as they get—she always asks where I’m going when I leave and where I’ve been when I get back!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Grammy-nominated rapper is seeking $75,000 in damages in a defamation lawsuit against Marley Green, the personality behind Nosey Heaux.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 14, 2022
Q. Nosey boss: I work alongside my sister at a family business where my mom is the owner.
From Slate • Mar. 17, 2020
“I’ve been following the case of Nosey the elephant for a long time,” reads a typical one.
From Slate • Jun. 25, 2018
Worthington's scampering life-size mice in bronze — "Sprightly," "Nosey," "Chubby" and "Pugnacious" — have a more festive air.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 2, 2012
Nosey cook might have been better, Miss Honey thought.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
