meddle

verb

med·​dle ˈme-dᵊl 

meddled; meddling

ˈmed-liŋ,

ˈme-dᵊl-iŋ 

intransitive verb

: to interest oneself in what is not one's concern : interfere without right or propriety (see propriety sense 1)

I never meddle in other people's private affairs

—G. B. Shaw

meddler

ˈmed-lər  ˈme-dᵊl-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• butt in
• interfere
• interlope
• intermeddle
• intrude
• mess
• muck (about or around)
• nose
• obtrude
• poke
• pry
• snoop

Examples of meddle in a Sentence

please stop meddling in your sister's marriage, even though you mean well

Recent Examples on the Web

How odd then, for Republicans to be calling for government to meddle in Apple’s operations. —John Tamny, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

The private sector also has good reasons to worry that Beijing could meddle more in businesses in the name of supporting them, suffocating innovation and competition. —Li Yuan, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025

Russia has sought to meddle, in 2004 stealing the vote and sparking huge protests that unseated its proxy candidate who stole the vote. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025

The practice of using cryptocurrency to fund Russian cyber attacks was described in a report by special counsel Robert Mueller III, who investigated the country's efforts to meddle in the 2016 election. —Graham Kates, CBS News, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English medlen, from Anglo-French mesler, medler, from Vulgar Latin *misculare, from Latin miscēre to mix — more at mix

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for meddle

• bedell
• heddle
• medal
• pedal
• peddle
• wedel
• bipedal
• intermeddle

Kids Definition

meddle

verb

med·​dle ˈmed-ᵊl 

meddled; meddling ˈmed-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to interest oneself in what is not one's concern

meddle in another's business

meddler

ˈmed-lər 

-ᵊl-ər

noun