meddle

American  

[med-l] / ˈmɛd l /

verb (used without object)

• meddles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• meddled,
  past participle,  past
• meddling
  present participle

1. to involve oneself in a matter without right or invitation; interfere officiously and unwantedly.

   Stop meddling in my personal life!

   Synonyms:

   pry, intrude, intervene

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meddle British  

/ ˈmɛdəl /

verb

1. (usually foll by with) to interfere officiously or annoyingly

2. (usually foll by in) to involve oneself unwarrantedly

   to meddle in someone's private affairs

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• meddler
  noun
• overmeddle
  verb (used without object)
• meddling
  adjective
• unmeddled
  adjective
• meddlingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• meddling
  present
• meddled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• meddle
  simple
• meddles
  simple
• have meddled
  perfect
• has meddled
  perfect
• am meddling
  progressive
• are meddling
  progressive
• is meddling
  progressive
• have been meddling
  perfect progressive
• has been meddling
  perfect progressive

Past

• meddled
  simple
• had meddled
  perfect
• was meddling
  progressive
• were meddling
  progressive
• had been meddling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will meddle
  simple
• will have meddled
  perfect
• will be meddling
  progressive
• will have been meddling
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

meddle meddles meddled meddling

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

While the authorities tinker with laws and competitions, they dare not meddle with the famous old Championship.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

Public policy advocates and experts expressed concern about state lawmakers using their power to meddle with local housing projects, especially when carving out exemptions from laws they’ve imposed on everyone else in the state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2025

It’s actually quite problematic that some perversely rich guys meddle in our affairs in their own way.

From Slate ● Nov. 19, 2025

The Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole is a paradigm, a human institution possessed of a life of its own, self-regenerating, touched all around by human meddle but constantly improved, embellished by it.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

It’s saying he’s misinformed and fantasizing, not outright lying, as he meddles deeply in California water.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2025

She meddles in bar owner Jack's relationship when she suspects he's having feelings for Mel.

From Salon ● Aug. 13, 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

I don’t want to be the mom who meddles with her son’s happiness, but am I right to be concerned?

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2014

I saw a letter on the tops desk yesterday about the meddles a fello can get now.

From No title by

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

Among other things, last week she reached out and meddled in a case over which she had no jurisdiction, plucking the matter back from the appeals court where it was properly pending.

From Slate ● Jan. 14, 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

He then went on to disclaim that “any person who knew either of us could possibly believe that either meddled in that dirty work.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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

"I am against any country in the world meddling and exercising political interference," he said last month.

From Barron's ● May 6, 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

He ultimately departed after a dispute encompassing transfers, his salary and what was perceived as medical department meddling in his use of players.

From BBC ● May 6, 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

Related Words

• hinder
• impede
• impose
• infringe
• intrude
• tamper