Pry

Explanation of Pry

To pry means to inquire or ask about something in a way that invades someone’s privacy or goes beyond what is considered acceptable. It often carries a negative connotation, implying that the person asking is being overly curious or intrusive. Pry can also refer to physically attempting to open something, like a door or box, using force or tools. Generally, the term suggests an inappropriate or unwanted level of interest in someone else’s personal matters, whether through questioning or physical effort.

Sentences Clarifying Pry

• She didn’t like how people would pry into her personal life at work.
• He tried not to pry into his friend’s relationship, knowing it was none of his business.
• The detective began to pry into the suspect’s past, hoping to find new evidence.
• It was rude of him to pry into her financial situation during their conversation.
• The journalist was criticized for prying too deeply into the celebrity’s private affairs.
• I had to pry open the old chest with a crowbar to see what was inside.
• Don’t pry into the children’s conversation; they deserve some privacy.
• He felt uncomfortable when his coworkers started to pry about his weekend plans.
• She didn’t mean to pry but was genuinely concerned about her friend’s well-being.
• After the meeting, I had to pry the door open because the handle had broken.

Synonyms and Related Words:

inquire too closely into a person’s private affairs.

sorry, I didn’t mean to pry

Sinonim:

• inquire impertinently into
• investigate impertinently
• be inquisitive about
• be curious about
• poke around in
• ferret (around) in
• delve into
• eavesdrop on
• listen in on
• mind someone else’s business
• be a busybody
• tap someone’s phone
• spy on
• interfere in
• meddle in
• intrude on
• scrutinize
• probe
• inquisitive
• curious
• busybody
• probing
• spying
• eavesdropping
• impertinent
• interfering
• meddling
• meddlesome
• intrusive
• nebby

Inquire Impertinently Into

To inquire impertinently into something means to ask questions in a way that is rude, intrusive, or beyond what is appropriate.

• He impertinently inquired into her personal life during the meeting.
• It’s considered rude to inquire impertinently into someone’s financial status.
• She felt uncomfortable when the journalist inquired impertinently into her past relationships.

Investigate Impertinently

To investigate impertinently means to examine or probe into matters that are private or not one’s concern in an intrusive or overstepping manner.

• The detective was accused of investigating impertinently into the private lives of the suspects.
• It is wrong to investigate impertinently into other people’s affairs without their consent.
• His tendency to investigate impertinently often led to conflicts with his colleagues.

Be Inquisitive About

To be inquisitive about something means to be eager to learn or ask questions about it, often driven by curiosity or a desire for knowledge.

• She was always inquisitive about the world, constantly asking questions about everything she encountered.
• The scientist was inquisitive about how different materials reacted to heat.
• The child was inquisitive about the stars, always asking about planets and constellations.

Be Curious About

To be curious about something means to have a strong desire to learn or know more about it.

• He was curious about the new technology and spent hours researching it.
• She became curious about the history of the city after taking a tour.
• They were curious about the mysterious package left on their doorstep.

Poke Around In

To poke around in something means to search through or examine something, often in a casual or intrusive way.

• She poked around in the drawer looking for her missing keys.
• He decided to poke around in the attic to see if he could find any old family photos.
• Stop poking around in my things; it’s an invasion of privacy.

Ferret (Around) In

To ferret around in something means to search thoroughly or dig into something, often with persistence, sometimes intrusively.

• He ferreted around in the filing cabinet to find the missing document.
• She was caught ferreting around in her roommate’s things without permission.
• I had to ferret around in the basement to find the box of decorations.

Delve Into

To delve into something means to investigate or explore it in depth, usually with great attention or focus.

• The professor decided to delve into the history of the ancient civilization in his next lecture.
• She delved into the book with such interest that she forgot about time.
• We need to delve into the issue to understand its causes fully.

Eavesdrop On

To eavesdrop on something means to listen secretly to someone’s conversation, typically without their knowledge.

• She was caught eavesdropping on her coworkers’ discussion about the upcoming project.
• It’s rude to eavesdrop on a private conversation, especially in a public place.
• He was eavesdropping on the meeting to gather information for his own benefit.

Listen In On

To listen in on means to overhear or secretly listen to a conversation or communication without permission.

• She accidentally listened in on her parents’ phone call, feeling guilty afterward.
• They managed to listen in on the conversation from the other room.
• It’s not appropriate to listen in on a private discussion.

Mind Someone Else’s Business

To mind someone else’s business means to interfere with or show interest in matters that do not concern you.

• Stop minding someone else’s business and focus on your own responsibilities.
• She was always trying to mind someone else’s business, gossiping about her neighbors.
• It’s best not to mind someone else’s business unless they ask for help.

Be a Busybody

A busybody is a person who meddles in other people’s affairs or spreads gossip.

• She was a notorious busybody, always knowing the latest details about everyone’s personal lives.
• Don’t be such a busybody; let people handle their own problems.
• The office was full of busybodies gossiping about the new employee’s arrival.

Tap Someone’s Phone

To tap someone’s phone means to secretly listen to their phone calls or messages, often for surveillance or investigative purposes.

• The authorities obtained a warrant to tap the suspect’s phone to gather evidence.
• He was furious when he found out that someone had tapped his phone without consent.
• Tapping someone’s phone without permission is illegal in many jurisdictions.

Spy On

To spy on someone means to secretly observe or watch them, often to gather information.

• The government hired agents to spy on foreign diplomats suspected of espionage.
• She didn’t like to spy on her friends but often found herself noticing their behavior.
• They were caught spying on their neighbor, trying to uncover the source of the noise.

Interfere In

To interfere in something means to get involved in an activity or situation in a disruptive or unwelcome way.

• He decided to interfere in their argument, offering unsolicited advice.
• Don’t interfere in other people’s personal lives unless they ask for help.
• She tried to interfere in the meeting by voicing her opinion too forcefully.

Meddle In

To meddle in something means to interfere with or take part in something that is not your concern, often causing disruption.

• It’s not your place to meddle in their relationship; let them work things out themselves.
• The politician was accused of meddling in the affairs of foreign governments.
• She didn’t want to meddle in the situation but couldn’t resist giving her input.

Intrude On

To intrude on someone or something means to enter without permission or disrupt an event, often causing discomfort or annoyance.

• I didn’t mean to intrude on their dinner, but I needed help with the project.
• The loud music from next door intruded on her peaceful evening at home.
• He intruded on their private conversation by standing too close and listening.

Scrutinize

To scrutinize means to examine or inspect something very closely and thoroughly, often with critical attention.

• The accountant scrutinized the financial records to identify any discrepancies.
• He carefully scrutinized the contract before signing it to avoid hidden clauses.
• The detective scrutinized the crime scene for any overlooked clues.

Probe

To probe means to investigate or explore something in a detailed or thorough manner, often to uncover hidden information.

• The scientist used a probe to analyze the soil samples for contamination.
• The journalist probed into the politician’s past to find any hidden scandals.
• The doctor probed the wound to determine the extent of the injury.

Inquisitive

Inquisitive refers to a person who is eager to learn, ask questions, or explore new information, often out of curiosity.

• She had an inquisitive nature, always asking questions about the world around her.
• His inquisitive mind led him to explore various fields of study.
• The inquisitive child asked endless questions about the universe and its mysteries.

Curious

Curious refers to a strong desire to know or learn about something, often leading to investigation or exploration.

• She was curious about how things worked, often taking apart gadgets to see inside.
• The curious student stayed after class to ask questions about the lesson.
• His curious nature made him a great scientist, always seeking new discoveries.

Busybody

A busybody is someone who is overly interested in other people’s affairs, often without being invited or welcomed.

• The neighborhood busybody always knew everyone’s business before anyone else did.
• She was known as a busybody at work, always trying to involve herself in other people’s tasks.
• Being a busybody can strain relationships if you interfere too much in others’ lives.

Probing

Probing refers to the act of investigating or exploring something in great detail, often with persistence.

• The lawyer was probing the witness to uncover inconsistencies in their story.
• The probing questions left him uncomfortable but forced him to clarify his statement.
• Probing into someone’s personal life without their permission can lead to conflict.

Spying

Spying is the act of secretly watching or gathering information about someone or something, often for a covert or unlawful purpose.

• The government accused the company of spying on competitors for trade secrets.
• He was caught spying on his colleagues through the office window.
• Spying on your friends can cause trust issues and damage relationships.

Eavesdropping

Eavesdropping is the act of secretly listening to others’ conversations, typically without their consent.

• She was caught eavesdropping on the conversation between her parents.
• Eavesdropping can cause misunderstandings, especially if the information is misinterpreted.
• It’s considered impolite to eavesdrop on private discussions.

Impertinent

Impertinent refers to behavior that is rude, disrespectful, or intrusive, often involving inappropriate questions or actions.

• His impertinent remarks during the meeting angered everyone in the room.
• It was impertinent of him to

informal:

• stick/poke one’s nose in/into
• be nosy (about)
• nose into
• snoop around in
• stickybeak
• nosy
• snooping
• snoopy

Stick/Poke One’s Nose In/Into

To stick or poke one’s nose in/into something means to intrusively involve oneself in something that doesn’t concern them, often causing annoyance.

• She always sticks her nose into other people’s business, even when it’s not welcome.
• He poked his nose into the argument, offering unsolicited advice.
• Don’t stick your nose into their private matters unless they ask for help.

Be Nosy (About)

To be nosy about something means to show excessive curiosity about other people’s personal affairs, often in a way that is considered intrusive or inappropriate.

• She’s always so nosy about other people’s relationships, constantly asking about their private lives.
• Stop being nosy about what’s in my shopping bag; it’s none of your concern.
• He was being nosy when he kept asking about my financial situation.

Nose Into

To nose into something means to pry into or investigate a matter that is not one’s business, often in an annoying or unwelcome manner.

• She nosed into her friend’s conversation, trying to learn more about their personal issues.
• It’s rude to nose into someone else’s work without being invited.
• The detective was caught nosing into the private affairs of the suspects.

Snoop Around In

To snoop around in something means to search or look through things, often without permission, in order to gather information or satisfy curiosity.

• He started snooping around in his brother’s room to find out what he was hiding.
• She was caught snooping around the office, looking for files that weren’t meant for her eyes.
• If you keep snooping around in the kitchen, you’ll spoil the surprise dinner!

Stickybeak

A stickybeak is a person who is overly curious about other people’s affairs, often poking their nose into things that don’t concern them.

• Don’t be such a stickybeak; mind your own business for once.
• The neighbors are a bunch of stickybeaks who gossip about everyone’s comings and goings.
• He was known as the stickybeak at work, always knowing the latest office gossip.

Nosy

Nosy refers to someone who is excessively curious about others’ personal matters or affairs, often in a disruptive or unwelcome manner.

• She’s so nosy, always asking personal questions about people’s lives.
• It’s nosy to ask why someone is late to a meeting without offering help.
• His nosy behavior made everyone uncomfortable, as he tried to know everything about everyone.

Snooping

Snooping means to search through someone’s things or investigate something secretly, often with the intent to uncover information that’s not meant for them.

• She was caught snooping through his personal belongings to find evidence of his betrayal.
• Snooping in someone’s emails is a violation of their privacy.
• Stop snooping around the office and focus on your own tasks.

Snoopy

Snoopy refers to someone who is inquisitive to the point of being intrusive, constantly prying into matters that don’t concern them.

• The snoopy neighbor always watches everyone’s movements through their window.
• He has a snoopy attitude, always asking personal questions when it’s not appropriate.
• Don’t be so snoopy; just let people share information when they’re ready.

rare:

• busy