to meddle
80
5.7
- verb
- /ˈmɛdəl/
:
entrometerse (en)
- Politicians began meddling with tuition in 1994, when legislators limited increases to the rate of inflation.
- meddle in someone's business
- meddle in personal affairs
- attempt to meddle
And every country that we have meddled in is worse off than we started.
- And every country that we have meddled in is worse off than we started.
- Well, if you've done any of these things, then you've been meddling with your own brain chemicals.
- And he says what China is doing right now is watching Russia meddle with Ukraine.
- Though he did meddle in all those affairs, he was never really a despot.
- We're going to meddle with the climate, but not in the way you've been told.
- The CCP can weigh in and and you can't rely on the Chinese government to not meddle with competition.
- You personally, do you feel this was environmental or a higher power meddling?
- So we'll be funding the Taliban, we'll be spending money in Afghanistan as long as potentially they agree not to meddle in their plans.
- He should quit firing people, he should quit doing sick heils, and he should quit meddling in elections.
- We're willing to allow a foreign power to come in and meddle in our affairs and have that meddling go unpunished.
- We meddled with the part where you shouldn't be messing up with translation.
Examples
-
That'll give that woman plenty of time to meddle in your business before I get back.
Fiction book (1994) -
"How dare outsiders from the urban Northeast meddle in our affairs?" was one standard response.
Academic text (2004) -
To meddle with the lives of other people.
-
You should have taught him not to meddle.
-
Your Grace, I'm not fitted to meddle in these matters.
-
I gave you direct orders not to meddle with Sauvage.
-
I'm not about to meddle in Becky's personal life.
-
Dole told Cleveland not to meddle in the internal affairs of Hawaii.
Academic text (1992) -
But military autonomy suffered another setback during the late 1950s when Khrushchev meddled heavily with military affairs.
Academic text (1992) -
It's best not to meddle in matters that don't concern you.
Synonyms
487
3.5
To get involved in a situation and make things not work as they should
22
4.6
To go into someone's space or life without permission
1
7.3
To try to take part in other people's business without being asked
1
7.9
To get involved in other people's business without being asked
1
8.0
To get involved in other people's business when not wanted
Get involved in other people's business without being asked
Get involved in other people's affairs when not wanted
To get involved in other people's business when they do not ask for help
To get involved in other people's arguments or problems
Antonyms
- Informal
51
3.7
Stay out of other people's private matters and focus on your own
How Intrusive
113
4.9
487
3.5
105
4.4
80
5.7
- Informal
21
4.4
Surface Forms
Etymology
Meddle comes from an old word that meant 'to mix', like the simple English words mix and mingle. So to meddle is to 'mix yourself into' other people's business, which is why it feels unwanted or annoying.