invasion

noun

in·​va·​sion in-ˈvā-zhən 

1

: an act of invading

especially : incursion of an army for conquest or plunder

2

: the incoming or spread of something usually hurtful

Synonyms of invasion

• incursion
• raid

Examples of invasion in a Sentence

The enemy launched an invasion.

The people live under a constant threat of invasion.

The town is gearing up for the annual tourist invasion.

protecting the house from insect invasion

Recent Examples on the Web

The AfD has also vowed to bring back the cheap Russian gas that once fueled Germany but has been phased out following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. — Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026

The envoys' trip comes as both sides escalate aerial attacks, some 4 1/2 years after the Kremlin's invasion of its neighbor. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Beginning in the fall of 2021, the first chapter of Loktev’s documentary epic charted the months leading up to the Ukraine invasion. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

On Monday, a judge ordered the county to give the bar confidential case documents for DTLA clients to aid with the probe — a move DTLA had blasted as an invasion of clients’ privacy. — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English invasioun "assault, attack," borrowed from Anglo-French invasion, envasioun, borrowed from Late Latin invāsiōn-, invāsiō "attack, taking possession by violence," from Latin invādere "to enter with hostile intent, assault, attack" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at invade

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing invasion

• counter-invasion
• invasion of (someone's) privacy
• pre-invasion

Rhymes for invasion

• abrasion
• caucasian
• equation
• eurasian
• evasion
• occasion
• persuasion
• asian
• suasion
• athanasian

Kids Definition

invasion

noun

in·​va·​sion in-ˈvā-zhən 

: an act of invading

especially : entrance of an army into a country for conquest

Medical Definition

invasion

noun

in·​va·​sion in-ˈvā-zhən 

: the act of invading: as

a

: the penetration of the body of a host by a microorganism

b

: the spread and multiplication of a pathogenic microorganism or of malignant cells in the body of a host

Legal Definition

invasion

noun

in·​va·​sion in-ˈvā-zhən 

: the act of or an instance of invading