# snooping

/ˈsnupɪŋ/ (US) · /snˈuːpɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/snooping
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

looking around a place or through someone's things in a secret way. You usually do this to find information that is not your business.

For teachers: investigating or looking around stealthily, typically to find private information or secrets. Often carries a negative connotation of invading privacy.

## Examples

- I caught him snooping around my desk this morning.
- She suspected her roommate was snooping through her private emails while she was out of the room.
- The investigation revealed that several employees had been snooping into confidential client files without any professional justification or authorization.

## Pitfalls

- Not "he was snooping my phone" but "he was snooping through my phone" — Snooping is intransitive and requires a preposition like 'through' or 'into' before the object being searched.

## Usage notes

- The verb is intransitive and often takes the preposition 'around', 'through', or 'into'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.