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

Jemma Probert, who owns a fishing charter, told the ABC that she’s had to flick them off her boat, while commercial fisherman Brett Fallon told the news organization that every night, at least 100 invade his vessel. —Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023

Then, on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. —Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Nov. 2023

Lion cubs are vulnerable to other predators such as leopards and hyenas, but often the main threat is from invading male lions. —Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

Israel said its forces, which invaded the Gaza Strip nearly a month ago, would be stationed along cease-fire lines in sparsely populated areas, starting at 7 a.m. local time Friday (5 a.m. —WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023

The messiness of actually trying to enforce the terms of the truce has been on display since last year, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine days after the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. —Andrew Keh, New York Times, 23 Nov. 2023

In October, there were 57 new clinical cases of the drug-resistant, potentially lethal fungus that can invade a person's bloodstream, brain, heart or other organs, according to Nevada Division of Behavioral Health data. —Mary Hynes Las Vegas Review-Journal (tns), arkansasonline.com, 21 Nov. 2023

My grandmother was seven years old and living in Poland when Hitler invaded and started the Second World War. —Daniel Lombroso, The New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2023

And if a virus does manage to invade a host cell, it will be targeted for destruction by memory T cells. —WIRED, 19 Nov. 2023

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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

• 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