prying

[ prahy-ing ]

/ ˈpraɪ ɪŋ /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for prying on Thesaurus.com

adjective

that pries; looking or searching curiously.

impertinently or unnecessarily curious or inquisitive.

OTHER WORDS FOR prying

1 peeping, peering, peeking.

2 nosy.

See synonyms for prying on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of prying

First recorded in 1950–55; pry¹ + -ing²

synonym study for prying

2. See curious.

OTHER WORDS FROM prying

pry·ing·ly, adverbpry·ing·ness, nounun·pry·ing, adjective

Words nearby prying

prutah, PRW, pry, Pryderi, pryer, prying, Prynne, Prypyat', prytaneum, prythee, Przemyśl

How to use prying in a sentence

A lock is only as good as the quality of its housing, of course, so go for a model that’s constructed from thick and rigid metal to ensure that its casing can withstand impacts and potential prying in the event of a theft attempt.
Best office cabinets: Storage must-haves to make your workspace work|PopSci Commerce Team|March 18, 2021|Popular-Science
Lobbyists use these trips to lavish bounty on Congressmen, far from prying eyes.
Former Lobbyist Jack Abramoff On Congressional Travel Disclosure|Jack Abramoff|July 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She was hounded by the prying paparazzi, desperate to label her a partied-out starlet.
Taylor Momsen on Female Sexuality and Her Transformation from ‘Gossip Girl’ to Rock Star|Marlow Stern|March 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And yet he comes to loathe the prying eye of the camera on his soaked, exhausted, and shivering men.
Polar Explorer vs. Reality TV Crew: Tim Jarvis in the Footsteps of Shackleton|Darrell Hartman|January 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The difficulty, and I mean the entire difficulty, is prying the industry away from congressional Republicans.
Obama’s Bad Salesmanship|Michael Tomasky|June 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Rollins agreed that Rove may have a hard time prying open rich Republican wallets in the future.
Is the Cult of Karl Rove Over?|David Freedlander|November 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The fire had been heaped over with earth—to screen it from prying eyes, I suppose, while the good work went on.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
Very despicable and very prying, he tried to make his place secure by acting as spy in the bureau.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
Only the prying eyes of the catlike presence disturbed the sacred moment.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman
Billy's head blushed vividly after he had spoken, for his remark was a prying one.
A Forest Hearth: A Romance of Indiana in the Thirties|Charles Major
Drinkwater was among the first, his nervous, prying little eyes fairly fastened on the other in his excitement.
The Woman Gives|Owen Johnson