butt in
[verb]
Synonyms: intrude, chisel (in), cut in, horn in, intertrude, obtrude, meddle, busybody, fool, interfere, interlope, intermeddle, make, monkey (with), tamper (with)
[noun]
Synonyms: busybody, buttinsky, intermeddler, kibitzer, meddler, pragmatist, prier (or pryer), quidnunc, rubberneck, snoop

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Contrasted words: abstain, forbear, restrain

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English Thesaurus: interfere, meddle, intrude, butt in, pry, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

butt in phrasal verb (see also butt)

1. to interrupt a conversation rudely:
Stop butting in!

2. to become involved in a private situation that does not concern you
butt in on
They don’t want outsiders butting in on their decision-making.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

interfere to try to get involved in a situation where you are not wanted or needed:
She tried not to interfere in her children’s lives.
It’s not your problem, so don’t interfere.
meddle to interfere in someone else’s affairs in a way that is annoying for them. Meddle is more informal than interfere, and has more of a feeling of being annoyed:
I did not want my parents meddling in my private affairs.
He warned diplomats against meddling in Indonesia’s affairs.
intrude to interfere by being somewhere where you are not wanted, or getting involved in a situation that is private – used especially when saying that you want to avoid doing this:
Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude while you were on the phone.
When someone dies, people are often worried about intruding.
butt in informal to interfere by trying to become involved in a private situation or conversation that does not concern you:
Stop butting in, will you!
I didn’t want to give them any advice in case they thought I was butting in.
pry to try to find out what someone else is doing in their private life, by asking questions or secretly checking what they are doing, in a way that seems annoying or rude:
Journalists like to pry into the lives of the rich and famous.
I didn’t mean to pry – I just wanted to know if I could help.
poke/stick your nose into something informal to ask questions about someone else’s private life or give them advice they do not want, in a way that annoys them:
She’s one of those people who’s always poking her nose into other people’s business.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

interrupt [intransitive and transitive] to stop someone from continuing speaking:
She interrupted him to ask exactly how he had broken his ankle.
Oliver began his story but was soon interrupted by the arrival of Mr Gosling.
I wish you wouldn’t interrupt all the time.
butt in [intransitive] to rudely start speaking when someone is already speaking:
Will you please stop butting in!
Steve kept butting in with silly comments.
cut somebody off/cut somebody short [intransitive] to prevent someone from finishing what they are saying:
He slammed down the phone and cut her off in mid-sentence.
Bob began to speak but Donna cut him short.
heckle [intransitive and transitive] to deliberately interrupt a speaker or performer by shouting, especially to show that you do not agree with what they are saying:
Comedians are used to dealing with members of the audience who heckle.
The speaker was heckled by a group of protesters.
chip in [intransitive] to interrupt a conversation or discussion by adding comments, especially helpful or useful ones:
Feel free to chip in if you have any comments to make.
disturb to interrupt someone when they are trying to work, sleep etc:
The sign on the door said ‘Do not disturb. Meeting in progress’.
I hope I’m not disturbing you. Do you want me to come back later?
Her sleep was disturbed by a violent hammering on the door.
bother to interrupt someone, especially by asking questions when they are trying to do something else:
‘I’m very sorry to bother you,’ Jackson said smoothly, ‘but I’d like a few minutes of your time.’
You mustn’t bother him - he’s working on his essay.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

butt in
to interrupt.
Sorry to butt in on you like this, but there's an important call.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

butt in
• butt in (on someone or something)
to interrupt someone or something
I do not like that woman because she always butts in on our conversations while we are talking.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

butt in
v., slang To join in with what other people are doing without asking or being asked; interfere in other people's business; meddle.
Mary was explaining to Jane how to knit a sweater when Barbara butted in. Often used with "on".
John butted in on Bill and Tom's fight, and got hurt.
Compare: HORN IN.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲