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 naval drone attacks follow mounting efforts by Ukraine to curtail Russia’s revenue from energy exports in the wake of Western sanctions imposed after Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025

Yermak has accompanied Zelenskyy on every trip abroad since Russia's invasion in February 2022, and the president's trust in him has made Yermak's power appear almost untouchable. —Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2025

The diplomatic offensive comes with Putin appearing to believe that a battlefield offensive is helping him in his demand that Ukraine withdraw from territories claimed by the Kremlin, a position Kyiv argues would reward Moscow for its full-scale invasion. —Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 28 Nov. 2025

Given the decade-long history of this war – Russia’s three invasions of Ukrainian territory, over years of diplomacy and deceit – there is justification to doubt Moscow’s sincerity. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025

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