These words describe someone who involves himself, without invitation, in the affairs of others, or who hampers them with unwelcome attentions. Meddlesome can suggest either of these situations; if the former, unwarranted curiosity is implied; if the latter, a self-important insistence on giving advice is masked as helpfulness: not able to tell her what had happened until their meddlesome neighbour had left; forcing upon them in the most meddlesome way peremptory advice about their trip. Interfering makes no reference to curiosity, but otherwise is close to meddlesome , except that it is more neutral and may suggest a less disagreeable or self-righteous approach.

• A well-intentioned but interfering fiend is better than a meddlesome mother-in-law.

Prying , snoopy and nosy stress offensive curiosity to the exclusion of other meanings. The extremely informal snoopy and nosy can suggest an avidity for spying on others, gathering gossip or soliciting private information by posing leading questions. Snoopy may suggest a sneaky or stealthy approach in acquiring information: a snoopy landlady looking through her boarders’ cupboards while they are out; a snoopy child, always eavesdropping. Nosy may indicate more forthright methods, quite literally suggesting the act of sticking one’s nose into someone else’s business: nosy neighbourhood gossips. The more formal prying , however, goes further than either of these to suggest an absolute violation of privacy by any means whatever: prying questions.

Officious is now generally taken to refer to someone who, unasked, bustles about making arrangements, volunteering advice, offering unwanted services or giving orders exactly as though he were discharging official duties. This meaning gives the word a degree of specificness none of its synonyms posses: a very officious woman, so bossy that no one could abide her.

Intrusive may suggest a pushing oneself in where one is not wanted, or may point to undue curiosity: an intrusive guest, arriving uninvited, breaking in upon their solitude.

• She had always lived with them but was never intrusive in any way; Unknowingly intrusive , he had a knack of asking embarrassing personal questions.

Obtrusive is applied to a person who disrupts other people’s affairs, either by calling attention to himself or by making self-aggrandizing suggestions or officious offers that are offensive and unwelcome. Where intrusive emphasizes the fact of a breach of privacy or other interruptive influence, obtrusive implies a loud, brusque or unduly obvious way of butting in: maintaining a silent watchfulness that dampened the discussion with its intrusive disapproval; a member who disrupted the meeting constantly with obtrusive remarks and catcalls.