nosy
nosy — adjective
1. describes someone whose interest in other people's private lives or belongings g
describes someone whose interest in other people's private lives or belongings goes beyond what is socially acceptable — for instance, reading a letter that was not addressed to them, or asking a stranger about their salary.
Christopher's nosy neighbour kept peeking through the curtains whenever someone visited the house.
nosy + noun: nosy neighbour
Élise told her nosy coworker she would not discuss her weekend plans.
A nosy journalist followed the family on holiday and took photos through a restaurant window.
Hiro found his landlady too nosy — she kept asking what his new furniture cost.
- curious
neutral or positive; nosy is always negative
- inquisitive
more formal and can be neutral; nosy is informal and critical
- prying
similar disapproval but emphasises the act of actively seeking hidden information
- intrusive
focuses on the effect (invading privacy) rather than the motivation
- discreet
careful not to cause embarrassment or reveal private information
- respectful
shows proper regard for others' boundaries
文法句型
be + nosy
nosy + noun
用法筆記
Always carries a critical tone — calling someone nosy is an insult. Frequently describes neighbours, relatives, colleagues, or journalists.
常見錯誤
nosy — noun
1. the act of looking around a place or examining something closely, driven by curi
the act of looking around a place or examining something closely, driven by curiosity rather than need — for example, opening a cupboard in a room you were told to wait in, just to see what is inside.
Kian had a nosy around the garden while the owner fetched the spare key.
have a nosy + around [place]
Shanti had a sneaky nosy at the documents on the kitchen counter.
have/take a nosy + at [object]
While the guide checked tickets, Dario had a nosy inside the old chapel.
Obi admitted to having a nosy around the professor's office after the lecture finished.
文法句型
have a nosy + around/in/at
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed expression 'have a nosy' (or 'take a nosy'). Uncountable in form but takes the indefinite article 'a' in this construction. Rare outside British English; speakers of American English would typically use 'look around' or 'snoop' instead.