interloper
noun
in·ter·lop·er
ˌin-tər-ˈlō-pər 
ˈin-tər-ˌlō-
: one that interlopes: such as
a
: one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity
b
: an illegal or unlicensed trader
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The History of Interloper
The -loper part of interloper is believed to be either from an English dialectal word meaning "leap" or from a Dutch word meaning "to run." (The prefix inter- means "between" or "among.") An interloper is essentially one that jumps into the midst of things without an invitation to do so.
Examples of interloper in a Sentence
I had hoped to help my neighbors, but they regarded me as an interloper.
summer residents were regarded as interlopers who had no deep commitment to the town's welfare
Recent Examples on the Web
This relatively tiny interloper traveled like a dart through the core of the Bullseye about 50 million years ago, leaving rings in its wake like ripples in a pond.
—
Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025
These intestinal interlopers include Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale, which are the leading hookworms worldwide, including in the US.
—Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
There were members of various London bands in that sauna of a room, keen to check out the buzz around these Midlands interlopers.
—Ian Penman, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
But there is something in the air that even an outsider could feel at the rehearsal, which was open to donors and press interlopers.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for interloper
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Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025
These intestinal interlopers include Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale, which are the leading hookworms worldwide, including in the US.
—Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
There were members of various London bands in that sauna of a room, keen to check out the buzz around these Midlands interlopers.
—Ian Penman, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
But there is something in the air that even an outsider could feel at the rehearsal, which was open to donors and press interlopers.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for interloper
Cite this Entry
“Interloper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interloper. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
interloper
noun
in·ter·lop·er
ˌint-ər-ˈlō-pər
ˈint-ər-ˌlō-pər
: a person who intrudes or interferes wrongly or meddlesomely
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