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Glite Dictionary
to stick one's nose into

to stick one's nose into

1 7.9
To get involved in other people's business without being asked
  • phrasal verb
  • UK
translation icon : meterse en
  • She tends to stick her nose into everyone's business, making things uncomfortable for everyone.
  • stick your nose into business

Examples

  • And you are still letting this reporter stick her nose into everything we do.

    Absolute Deception (2013)

  • Just stop sticking your nose into my business!

    Elsa & Fred (2014)

  • Your absence, even if it was necessary, has given him just the opportunity he needed to come in here and stick his nose into our business.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Sara was always sticking her nose... into other people's business... and we don't need that.

    The Temp (1993)

  • I wish people would stop sticking their nose into matters that don't concern them.

  • Whenever I try to work, my neighbor keeps sticking his nose into my personal affairs.

Synonyms

to interfere
vsto stick one's nose into
487 3.5

To get involved in a situation and make things not work as they should

is more about informal unwanted involvement than formal disruption
to intrude
vsto stick one's nose into
105 4.4

To go into a place or conversation where you are not welcome

is focused on meddling in others' affairs rather than physical entry
to meddle
vsto stick one's nose into
80 5.7

To get involved in other people's business and annoy them

is about unwanted involvement rather than the annoying intention
to pry
vsto stick one's nose into
66 5.3

Try to learn about someone's private life in an impolite way

means general interference rather than focused prying into privacy
to break in
vsto stick one's nose into
30 3.4

To interrupt a conversation or activity without being invited

is broader involvement in others' matters, not only interruptions
to encroach
vsto stick one's nose into
27 7.3

To gradually move into someone else's area, space, or rights without permission

describes sudden or direct interference rather than gradual violation
to intrude on
vsto stick one's nose into
22 4.6

To go into someone's space or life without permission

is the colloquial meddling phrase rather than a neutral entry term
to butt in
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
21 4.4

Interrupt someone who is speaking without being invited

is about unwanted involvement in affairs beyond just interruptions
to horn in
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
5 8.2

To join a conversation or activity without being invited

focuses on unwanted interference without stressing the irritating tone
to step on someone's toes
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
4 6.6

Make someone angry by doing their job or making decisions for them

is general unwanted involvement rather than specifically taking duties
to encroach upon
vsto stick one's nose into
2 6.8

To gradually move into someone's personal space, rights or privacy

is immediate unwanted involvement rather than gradual encroachment
to poke one's nose into
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
1 7.3

To try to take part in other people's business without being asked

is broad unsolicited involvement that may be less sharply intrusive
to stick your nose into
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
1 8.0

To get involved in other people's business when not wanted

is the general phrase for unwanted involvement without permission
to pry into someone's business
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
1 7.5

To try to find out private things about someone without their permission

covers general unwanted involvement rather than nosy questioning of privacy
to obtrude
vsto stick one's nose into
1 9.1

Push yourself into a place or conversation when people do not want you

is the idiomatic interference phrase used for personal affairs
to stick one's oar in
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Informal
8.6

To get involved in other people's business when they do not ask for help

is the common expression for unwanted involvement without permission
to intermeddle
vsto stick one's nose into
9.4

Get involved in other people's affairs when not wanted

is the everyday phrase for unwanted interference without the formal tone
to stick its dick in
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Offensive
9.9

To become involved in a messy situation and make it worse

is a neutral colloquial phrase for unwanted involvement without vulgarity
to play Old Gooseberry
vsto stick one's nose into
  • Archaic
9.9

To get involved in other people's arguments or problems

is the standard modern phrase for unwanted involvement rather than archaic usage

Antonyms

to stay out of it
56 3.8

To avoid getting involved in an argument or fight

to mind your own business
  • Informal
35 5.8

Tell someone not to ask about or get involved in other people's lives

How Intrusive

to pry into
  • Informal
8 7.2
to meddle
80 5.7
to stick one's nose into
  • UK
1 7.9
to butt in
  • Informal
21 4.4
to poke one's nose into
  • Informal
1 7.3

Surface Forms

stick one's nose into infinitive
sticking one's nose into present participle
sticks one's nose into third person singular
stuck one's nose into past
stuck one's nose into past participle

Morphology

stick + one + nose + into

The phrase literally evokes inserting one’s nose into something—'stick' (push/insert) + 'nose' (body part) + 'into' (movement into)—so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can readily infer the sense of prying or meddling. This bodily-metaphor construction is cross-linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'meter la nariz'), which increases its predictability for learners.

Etymology

Stick one's nose into comes from the image of someone literally putting their nose into another person's room or conversation to see what is happening. So it now means 'to interfere in someone else's business without being asked'.