Prurient curiosity refers to a strong desire to know about someone's personal, sexual or intimate life. However, there are several synonyms for this phrase, such as voyeurism, obsession, nosiness, inquisitiveness, or even intrusiveness. Each of these synonyms represents a different aspect of this human trait and can be used interchangeably in various contexts. For instance, voyeurism usually refers to a sexual element included in prurient curiosity, obsession represents an extreme fixation, and nosiness conveys a sense of impoliteness. Whatever the synonym used, prurient curiosity indicates a sense of interest that is often inappropriate, unhealthy, or unwarranted.