pried

Pried is the past tense and past participle of the verb pry. Pry has two principal senses in English. The first is physical: to force something open or apart with a lever, crowbar, or similar tool. In this sense, pried describes a completed action, as in a sentence like “The lid was pried loose with a thin blade.” The second sense is figurative: to inquire into or meddle in someone’s private affairs, especially in a persistent or intrusive way. In this usage, phrases like “pried into the neighbor’s life” or “pried through the files” are common.

Usage and nuance. The word is widely used in both everyday speech and formal writing, with the intended meaning usually clear from context. When referring to physical levering, pried is often paired with objects such as a lid, door, or window. When referring to inquiry, it is typically followed by the preposition into (pried into) or by into someone’s affairs.

Spelling and variants. The standard past tense is pried. The spelling pryed is generally regarded as nonstandard or dialectal, and most style guides prefer pried in formal writing.

Etymology and related terms. Pried derives from the verb pry, whose core sense involves peering, lifting, or forcing something apart. Related terms include pry bar (a tool used to pry), prying (the present participle form), and phrases like prying eyes or prying into someone’s affairs, which reflect the figurative sense of nosiness.

See also: pry bar, prying, nosiness, intrusion.