invade

verb

in·​vade in-ˈvād 

invaded; invading

transitive verb

1

: to enter for conquest or plunder

2

: to encroach upon : infringe

3

a

: to spread over or into as if invading : permeate

doubts invade his mind

b

: to affect injuriously and progressively

gangrene invades healthy tissue

invader noun

Synonyms

• foray (into)
• overrun
• raid

Choose the Right Synonym for invade

trespass, encroach, infringe, invade mean to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another.

trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion.

hunters trespassing on farmland

encroach suggests gradual or stealthy entrance upon another's territory or usurpation of another's rights or possessions.

the encroaching settlers displacing the native peoples

infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative.

infringing a copyright

invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another.

accused of invading their privacy

Examples of invade in a Sentence

The troops invaded at dawn.

When tourists invade, the town is a very different place.

The cancer eventually invaded the brain.

Weeds had invaded the garden.

Bacteria invaded and caused an infection.

Recent Examples on the Web

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, in 2022, Virtue Worldwide, an ad agency, began working on Backup Ukraine, an ad campaign for UNESCO and Polycam, a photogrammetry company. —Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

The past few years have shown just how misguided that relationship was, as Russia invaded Ukraine and cut off Germany’s cheap, vital gas supply. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 11 Apr. 2024

The new legislation revamps the mobilization system, which has been in place since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and its required military registration which predates that. —Mallory Moench, TIME, 11 Apr. 2024

Exhausted soldiers, on the front lines since Russia invaded in February 2022, have no means of rotating out for rest. —Samya Kullab and Illia Novikov, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr. 2024

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Kishida has warned that letting Moscow win would only embolden China in its aggression against Taiwan, a self-ruling island democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. —Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024

The story was especially personal for Chinh, whose life includes fleeing the Viet Cong twice – first when relocating from North to South Vietnam at the beginning of the war, then later to America when North Vietnam was about to invade Saigon. —Rance Collins, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024

Accompanied by two reporters and a cub photographer, Lee’s goal is to push behind enemy lines to reach the White House before invading forces do, hoping to capture the moment of the president’s surrender—or defeat. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2024

Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant claimed in February that the military had defeated Hamas in the Khan Younis and was preparing to invade Rafah, which sits about five miles south along the border with Egypt, and where more than 1.2 million Palestinians are now displaced. —Joe Hernandez, NPR, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin invādere "to enter with hostile intent, assault, attack," from in- in- entry 2 + vādere "to advance, go (quickly or purposefully)" — more at wade entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing invade

• invade someone's privacy
• invade someone's space

Kids Definition

invade

verb

in·​vade in-ˈvād 

invaded; invading

1

: to enter for conquest or plunder

2

: to disturb or intrude upon

invaded their privacy

3

: to spread over or into usually harmfully

bacteria invading tissue

invader noun

Medical Definition

invade

transitive verb

in·​vade in-ˈvād 

invaded; invading

1

: to enter and spread within either normally (as in development) or abnormally (as in infection) often with harmful effects

protect the body from invading viruses

branches of a nerve invade the skin area

2

: to affect injuriously and progressively

gangrene invades healthy tissue

invader

-ˈvād-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

invade

transitive verb

in·​vade

invaded; invading

1

: to encroach upon : infringe

invading a constitutional right

2

: to make payments out of (a fund from which payments are not ordinarily made)

authorized the trustee to invade the principal for educational expenses