Standard Lemma guide

meddlesome

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈmɛdəlsəm/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛdəlsəm
  • CMU ARPABET: M EH1 D AH0 L S AH0 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Characterized or marked by meddling; inclined or having a tendency to meddle or interfere in other people's business.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • If those meddlesome kids hadn't turned me in, I'd have gotten away with my nefarious scheme!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an interfering old woman
  • bustling about self-importantly making an officious nuisance of himself
  • busy about other people's business

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: interfering, meddling, officious, busy, busybodied

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From meddle + -some.

Across languages

Translations

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: متطفل — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Bulgarian: натрапчив (natrapčiv) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Chinese Mandarin: 愛管閒事 /爱管闲事 (àiguǎnxiánshì) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Chinese Mandarin: 好事 (hàoshì) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Czech: šťouravý — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Czech: všetečný — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Czech: dotěrný — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Danish: nævenyttig — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Dutch: bemoeizuchtig — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Finnish: tunkeileva — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • French: importun — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • German: aufdringlich — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • German: lästig — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • German: vorwitzig — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • German: zudringlich — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Ancient Greek: πολυπρᾱ́γμων (poluprā́gmōn) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Japanese: おせっかいな (osekkai na) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Macedonian: на́траплив (nátrapliv) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Macedonian: на́метлив (námetliv) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Māori: maikutu — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Māori: āmionga — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Portuguese: enxerido — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Portuguese: intrometido — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Russian: надоедливый (nadojedlivyj) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: entrometido — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: shute — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: metiche — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: entremetido — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: meterete — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: metijón — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: meticón — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: safrisco — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: entrépito — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: metichi — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: metiches — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Spanish: intrusete — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Thai: ชอบยุ่ง (chɔ̂ɔp-yûng) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Thai: ชอบก้าวก่าย (chɔ̂ɔp-gâao-gàai) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Thai: จุ้นจ้าน — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Thai: สอดรู้สอดเห็น (sɔ̀ɔt-rúu-sɔ̀ɔt-hěn) — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Thai: ขี้เสือก — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Turkish: işgüzar — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Turkish: müdaheleci — inclined to meddle or interfere
  • Ukrainian: нахабний (naxabnyj) — inclined to meddle or interfere