Meddlesome means interfering in other people's business when you haven't been asked and aren't needed. A meddlesome person can't resist getting involved in situations that don't concern them, often making things worse rather than better.

Imagine you're working out a disagreement with a friend about whose turn it is to choose the game at recess. A meddlesome classmate might jump in uninvited, offering opinions and suggestions when you and your friend were handling it fine on your own. Or picture a meddlesome neighbor who constantly peers over the fence, asking nosy questions about your family's plans and decisions.

Someone who's meddlesome does this habitually. They might think they're being helpful, but their constant interference feels intrusive and annoying. There's a difference between offering genuine help when someone asks for it and being meddlesome: the key is whether your involvement is wanted and appropriate.

In stories, meddlesome characters often create problems by sticking their noses where they don't belong. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, some of Scrooge's acquaintances gossip about his private business. Being meddlesome is different from being curious or caring: it's about crossing boundaries and inserting yourself where you're not welcome.