inroad

noun

in·​road ˈin-ˌrōd 

plural inroads

1

: an advance or penetration often at the expense of someone or something

—usually plural

2

: a sudden hostile incursion : raid

Did you know?

Inroad is a combination of in and road, both of which are pretty mundane, as far as words go. But the first-and-oldest-meaning of inroad hints at a meaning of road other than the "way for traveling" one. Beginning back in the days of Old English, road referred to an armed hostile incursion made on horseback. (Raid comes from this use of road and also formerly specified incursions on horseback.) Road, as well as inroad, has lost its violent connotation. While inroads are often made at the expense of someone or something, they are at times simply advances, as when an artist is said to be "making inroads into a community."

Synonyms of inroad

• incursion
• invasion
• raid

Examples of inroad in a Sentence

the army is finally making inroads into enemy territory

Recent Examples on the Web

Nationally, Democrats picked up seven Senate seats Tuesday, gaining firm control of the upper chamber and making major inroads in Republican strongholds such as Texas. — Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026

In some of the reddest states in the union, even Republican redistricting efforts designed to shield districts from competition were not enough to prevent Democratic inroads. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

And although Minnesota hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since 2002, the GOP was hoping to make inroads, given that Vice President Kamala Harris won the state by just four points in 2024. — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Cindy Holscher is poised to become the first Democrat to succeed another Democrat as governor in Kansas after winning massive margins in the Kansas City suburbs and making inroads in southwest Kansas’ majority-Hispanic counties. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for inroad

• abode
• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• crossroad

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Kids Definition

inroad

noun

in·​road ˈin-ˌrōd 

1

: a sudden hostile invasion : raid

2

: an important advance often at the expense of someone or something

making inroads against the competition