1
as in curious
interested in what is not one's own business
as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in questioning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pulling
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever
it took some effort to pry up the trap door
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yanking
to draw out by force or with effort
a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in interfering
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
don't go prying into other people's business
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prying
Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Adjective
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prying
Adjective
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Intensely curious and obsessively correct in matters grammatical, Ross would go to any length to ensure accuracy.—
Christopher B. Daly,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Uzo is caring, curious … and most of all, empathetic.—
Stacey Wilson Hunt,
The Hollywood Reporter,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But according to federal prosecutors, one Las Vegas woman prepared and filed false tax returns for her business and others at a busy average rate of nearly 80 per month.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2025
-
December was busy as ever, squeezing in bites between holiday parties, restaurant reviews and end-of-year deadlines.—
Rachel Bernhard,
Journal Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Dolan’s credibility can arguably be assessed through that line of questioning.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 Feb. 2025
-
There were times when Maresca would be sensitive towards any criticism from the fans or negative questioning in a press conference.—
Simon Johnson,
The Athletic,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Pete was a gentle spirit, creative, inquisitive, and reflective.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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Elsewhere, inquisitive faces loom up from hazy backgrounds; a straight fringe frames a determined expression.—
Michael Bracewell,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
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During an interrogation with Detroit police, Frazier admitted to killing Brown.—
Greta Cross,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
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The Wehrmacht will gain access to the Terror Battlegroup that uses psychological warfare to weaken its enemies — abilities like field interrogations, the Stuka's Jericho Trumpet, and V1 rocket strikes will be at its disposal.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The more successful the program, the more intrusive the impact on neighborhoods.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
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Richard Painter, the White House's top ethics lawyer during the George W. Bush administration, says this is uncharted territory and no Democratic or Republican administration has ever sent people into agencies in such an intrusive manner.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Spokespeople for the Kansas City offices of ICE and HSI have not returned multiple inquiries from Star reporters asking whether agents had a warrant to enter private areas of El Potro or warrants authorizing the arrests of any specific individuals.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
14 Feb. 2025
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The audit findings were handed over to the Alaska State Troopers, spurring an FBI investigation that included interviews with commercial fishermen and several investors but ultimately no charges, according to investors familiar with the inquiry.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Lavin’s other last recent project was her appearance Phyllis Adelman — nosy neighbor and owner of Mr. Bojangles — in Liz Feldman’s Netflix series No Good Deed.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2025
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Top Ten Loudest States in The U.S. New Jersey Massachusetts Pennsylvania Florida Rhode Island Delaware Maryland Illinois Colorado Connecticut New England states appeared to be the loudest as a region, accounting for six out of the ten nosiest on the list.—
Stephan Pechdimaldji,
Newsweek,
13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near prying
Cite this Entry
“Prying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prying. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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