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View synonyms for prying

prying

[ prahy-ing ]

adjective

  1. that pries; looking or searching curiously.
  2. impertinently or unnecessarily curious or inquisitive.

    Synonyms: nosy



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Other Words From

  • prying·ly adverb
  • prying·ness noun
  • un·prying adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of prying1

First recorded in 1950–55; pry 1 + -ing 2

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Synonym Study

See curious.

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Example Sentences

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.

Lobbyists use these trips to lavish bounty on Congressmen, far from prying eyes.

She was hounded by the prying paparazzi, desperate to label her a partied-out starlet.

And yet he comes to loathe the prying eye of the camera on his soaked, exhausted, and shivering men.

The difficulty, and I mean the entire difficulty, is prying the industry away from congressional Republicans.

Rollins agreed that Rove may have a hard time prying open rich Republican wallets in the future.

The fire had been heaped over with earth—to screen it from prying eyes, I suppose, while the good work went on.

Very despicable and very prying, he tried to make his place secure by acting as spy in the bureau.

Only the prying eyes of the catlike presence disturbed the sacred moment.

Billy's head blushed vividly after he had spoken, for his remark was a prying one.

Drinkwater was among the first, his nervous, prying little eyes fairly fastened on the other in his excitement.

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pryerPrynne