pry

v. to try to find out private information about other people in an annoying or rude way.

v. to inquire impertinently into others' private affairs; to snoop or be excessively inquisitive.

“I don't mean to pry, but why did you leave your last job so suddenly?”

“Journalists were accused of prying into the family's private grief during the aftermath of the tragedy.”

v. to use a tool or a lot of effort to pull something open or away from something else.

v. to move, raise, or open something by using leverage or force.

“He used a screwdriver to pry the lid off the paint can.”

“The investigators had to pry the rusted door open to gain access to the abandoned basement.”

v. to get a secret or information from someone who does not want to tell you.

v. to extract information or a confession from a reluctant source with significant effort.

“It took hours to pry the truth out of him about where he had been.”

“The lawyers managed to pry a confession out of the witness after a grueling three-hour cross-examination.”

Informal

n. a metal bar or tool used for lifting heavy things or forcing things open.

n. a tool used as a lever, such as a crowbar.

“He grabbed a heavy iron pry from the back of the truck to lift the stone.”

“The construction crew used a long steel pry to shift the concrete slab just enough to inspect the pipes beneath.”

American English