meddle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
meddles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
meddled,
past participle, past
-
meddling
present participle
verb
-
(usually foll by with) to interfere officiously or annoyingly
-
(usually foll by in) to involve oneself unwarrantedly
to meddle in someone's private affairs
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
meddlernoun
-
overmeddleverb (used without object)
-
meddlingadjective
-
unmeddledadjective
-
meddlinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
meddlesimple
-
meddlessimple
-
have meddledperfect
-
has meddledperfect
-
am meddlingprogressive
-
are meddlingprogressive
-
is meddlingprogressive
-
have been meddlingperfect progressive
-
has been meddlingperfect progressive
Past
-
meddledsimple
-
had meddledperfect
-
was meddlingprogressive
-
were meddlingprogressive
-
had been meddlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of meddle
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English medlen, from Old French me(s)dler, variant of mesler “to mix,” from Vulgar Latin misculāre (unrecorded), frequentative of Latin miscēre
Explanation
To meddle is to interfere. You can meddle in someone else's affairs, and you can meddle with someone else's things. Either way, you’re messing with someone else’s stuff and she probably doesn’t like it. Meddle started out in the late 1400’s meaning “to mingle,” then it became a pain when it began to be used to mean “interfere,” which is how we use it now. For a little while there it also meant to be, um, romantic with someone, but it’s not used that way today. Meddle is what little sisters do, always getting in the middle of your business.
Vocabulary lists containing meddle
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: March 10 - 16, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“These are attempts to interfere, to meddle in Mexican politics,” Sheinbaum said at her regular morning news conference.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
In Homer’s original poem, the gods hold meetings, argue, play favorites and meddle so routinely in human affairs that Athena is practically a second protagonist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
It was not intended to meddle, fiddle or interfere with internal domestic affairs in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
It asserted America's right to dominate the Western hemisphere and keep European powers from trying to meddle in the newly independent states of Latin America.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
I remonstrated with them but was told in no uncertain terms that the matter was the women’s affair and that the ANC — as well as anxious husbands — should not meddle.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
And in the brain, it meddles with connections between brain cells, resulting in “fuzzy thinking.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
He has argued that the court meddles in his mandate and reminded the military that, in a democracy, it is subordinate to the elected government.
From Reuters ● Aug. 14, 2023
However, as Noah meddles in Howie's affairs, obstacles arise for the potential couple.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2022
Several former internal- affairs commanders and detectives also have claimed Urquhart bullies investigators and meddles in deputy misconduct probes, raising fairness concerns.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 3, 2017
So have you been taught, doubtless, so you may yet believe; but you have still to learn that if there is such a being, he meddles not with the common purposes of man.
From Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 3 September 1848 by Various
As Chesnut noted, UFOs-as-demons is actually an evangelical idea from the 1950s and ’60s, and not something the Catholic Church has ever meddled in.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
Numerous U.S. presidents have meddled in the region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026
Among several accusations, Eubank claimed Team Benn meddled in his weight cut, branding them "ruthless" and "without restraint".
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2025
For a while CNN was owned by AT&T. I interacted directly with the CEO of AT&T, and in my experience he never meddled with our with our truthful news coverage.
From Salon ● Nov. 14, 2023
“But you meddled with her dragons, and now they think you are their mother,” Vik tells her.
From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott
Political parties have traditionally shunned meddling in races where they lack a candidate of their own, experts said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
On the hard-news side, she bungled big moments like an interview with Vladimir Putin, who batted away her questions about 2016 election meddling with an exasperated performance of ignorance.
From Slate ● May 6, 2026
‘Project Hail Mary’ gets a soaring film adaptation, Steve Carell plays a meddling dad, Amanda Peet stars in an off-beat dramedy, and much, much more.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
Ethiopia has also accused Eritrea of meddling by backing Tigrayan forces, which it denies.
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026
Just as my fortune seemed to be turning, I was forced to leave my only paying job because of well- intentioned meddling by my friends.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
