trespass

1 of 2

verb

tres·pass ˈtre-ˌspas

also

-spəs

trespassed; trespassing; trespasses

Synonyms of trespass next

intransitive verb

: to commit a trespass

especially : to enter unlawfully upon the land of another

: err, sin

: to make an unwarranted or uninvited incursion

transitive verb

: violate

trespass the bounds of good taste

trespasser noun

trespass

2 of 2

noun

tres·pass ˈtre-spəs

-ˌspas

: an unlawful act committed on the person, property, or rights of another

especially : a wrongful entry on real property

: the legal action for injuries resulting from trespass

: a violation of moral or social ethics : transgression

especially : sin

: an unwarranted infringement

Choose the Right Synonym for trespass

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

Example Sentences

Verb He told me I was trespassing. The sign said “No Trespassing.” Noun He was arrested for trespass. forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Duncan didn’t discuss a chart in his presentation showing an upward trend in train accidents, which railroad officials say can vary from minor incidents in rail yards or trespassing incidents, to collisions and derailments. —

Ian Duncan, Luz Lazo And Michael Laris, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Feb. 2023 At his behest, officials have emptied the state prison in Dilley, about an hour's drive southwest of San Antonio, so the facility can be used to detain immigrants who trespass across fenced areas or commit other transgressions -- with Texas taxpayers funding that lockup, too. —

Arkansas Online, 22 June 2021 This can trespass into e.g. —

Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Dec. 2020 She was convicted of civil disorder, impeding police officers, trespassing on restricted grounds, illegally demonstrating in the Capitol and two counts of disorderly conduct. —

Paul Duggan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023 Do not trespass under any circumstances, or arrests and heavy fines await you. —

Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics, 23 Mar. 2023 Most of those deaths were not derailments or crashes, but instead people killed while trespassing on train tracks. —

Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2023 The money pays for thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and state police to patrol different border sectors and to protect the interests of private landowners by arresting migrants who trespass on their property, mostly in the Eagle Pass-Del Rio sector. —

Dallas News, 1 Sep. 2022 The transit district, in a report released this month, said the 6-foot-tall, chain-link fence will be placed in the areas where people most frequently trespass on the track right-of-way, resulting in death or injury, damage to the railroad system and delays in service. —

Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2020

Noun

The officer located the shopper, who was arrested for criminal trespass. —

John Benson, cleveland, 21 Dec. 2022 The company was sued for negligence and trespass. —

Greg Moran, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Nov. 2022 According to a police report Tyson was charged with public intoxication and criminal trespass, and he was released the same day on bond. —

Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 14 Nov. 2022 Police said that Pineira was booked into jail on suspicion of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. —

Vic Verbalaitis, The Arizona Republic, 23 Oct. 2022 Early this year, Mr. Kurson reached a plea deal with prosecutors after having been charged with eavesdropping and computer trespass. —

Rebecca Davis O’brien, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2022 Lucy Rae was arrested for criminal trespass. —

Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 18 May 2022 There were also increases reported to the university last year in burglaries, dating violence, domestic violence, grand theft, harassing communications, stalking and trespass. —

Troy Myers, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2023 The day Tortuguita was shot, seven people were arrested and charged with domestic terrorism and criminal trespass, according to the GBI. —

N'dea Yancey-bragg, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trespass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French trespasser to overtake, exceed, wrong, from tres to a high degree (from Latin trans beyond) + passer to pass — more at through, pass

Noun

Middle English trespas, from Anglo-French, passage, overstepping, misdeed, from trespasser

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2a

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler

The first known use of trespass was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Trespass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trespass. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

trespass

1 of 2 noun

tres·pass ˈtres-pəs

-ˌpas

: sin entry 1, offense

: an unlawful act committed on the person, property, or rights of another

especially : unlawful entry on someone else's land

trespass

2 of 2 verb

: err sense 1, sin

: to commit a trespass

especially : to enter unlawfully upon the land of another

trespasser noun

Legal Definition

trespass

1 of 2 noun

tres·pass ˈtres-pəs, -ˌpas

: wrongful conduct causing harm to another: as

: a willful act or active negligence as distinguished from a mere omission of a duty that causes an injury to or invasion of the person, rights, or especially property of another

also : the common-law form of action for redress of injuries directly caused by such a wrongful act compare trespass on the case in this entry

: trespass quare clausum fregit in this entry

— computer trespass

: the act of using or gaining access to a computer or computer network without authorization especially for the purpose of committing a crime or harming or removing programs, data, or hardware

— continuing trespass

: a trespass that continues until the act (as of depriving another of his or her property without the intent to steal it) or instrumentality (as an object placed wrongfully on another's land) causing it is ended or removed

— criminal trespass

: trespass to property that is forbidden by statute and punishable as a crime as distinguished from trespass that creates a cause of action for damages

— trespass ab initio

: a trespass that arises upon a lawful act which because of subsequent unlawful or wrongful conduct is deemed under a legal fiction to have been trespassory from the beginning

— trespass de bonis asportatis \ -dē-ˈbō-nis-ˌas-pȯr-ˈtā-tis, -dā-ˈbō-nēs-ˌäs-pȯr-ˈtä-tēs \ probably from Medieval Latin (trangressio) de bonis asportatis (trespass) concerning property carried off

: a common-law form of action to recover for trespass involving the carrying off of one's goods by another

— trespass on the case

: a common-law form of action to recover for another's wrongful act that indirectly causes one's injury

called also action on the case, case

— trespass quare clausum fregit \ -ˈkwer-ē-ˈklȯ-zəm-ˈfrē-jət, -ˈkwä-rā-ˈklau̇-su̇m-ˈfrā-gēt \ probably from Medieval Latin (transgressio) quare clausum fregit (trespass) whereby he or she broke into a close (tenement protected by law of trespass)

: a trespass that involves wrongful and tortious entry on another's real property

— trespass to try title

: an action brought as a means of obtaining redress for a trespass to real property and determining the title to the property

— trespass vi et armis \ -ˈvī-ˌet-ˈär-mis, -ˈvē-, -ˌmēs \ Latin vi et armis with force and arms

: a trespass involving intentional infliction of injury on a person

trespass

2 of 2 intransitive verb

: to commit a trespass

especially : to enter wrongfully or without proper authority or consent upon the real property of another

transitive verb

: to commit a trespass against

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French trespas violation of the law, actionable wrong, from Old French, crossing, passage, from trespasser to go across, from tres across + passer to pass