Meddling means interfering in other people's business when you haven't been invited to help. A meddling person gets involved in situations that don't concern them, offering unwanted advice or trying to control what others are doing.

Imagine your older sister constantly telling you how to organize your desk, what friends to hang out with, and how to do your homework, even though you never asked for her input. That's meddling. Or picture a neighbor who peers over the fence, critiquing how your family plants the garden or parks the car. Meddlers insert themselves where they're not wanted or needed.

The word carries a negative feeling because meddling usually makes situations worse, not better. It's different from genuinely helping someone who asks for assistance. When you meddle in an argument between two friends, you might accidentally make them angrier with each other.

People often say “stop meddling” when someone needs to back off and let others handle their own affairs. A busybody who's always meddling in everyone's lives rarely has many friends, because people may feel smothered and disrespected rather than helped.