trespass

1 of 2

verb

tres·​pass ˈtre-ˌspas 

also

-spəs 

trespassed; trespassing; trespasses

intransitive verb

1

: to commit a trespass

especially : to enter unlawfully upon the land of another

2

a

: err, sin

b

: 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 

1

a

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

especially : a wrongful entry on real property

b

: the legal action for injuries resulting from trespass

2

a

: a violation of moral or social ethics : transgression

especially : sin

b

: an unwarranted infringement

Synonyms

Verb

• err
• fall
• offend
• sin
• stray
• transgress
• wander

Noun

• breach
• crime
• debt
• error
• lawbreaking
• malefaction
• misdeed
• misdoing
• offense
• offence
• sin
• transgression
• violation
• wrongdoing

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

Examples of trespass in a Sentence

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

The military is now authorized to search and temporarily detain individuals who trespass on the New Mexico National Defense Area, provide medical assistance and implement crowd control measures until law enforcement arrives to take them into custody. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025

Wheeler was previously convicted of trespassing charges from March 18, 2020 and Nov. 18, 2022. —Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2025

Noun

He has previously been convicted of offenses including burglary, criminal trespass, evading arrest, possession of marijuana and unlawful use of a criminal instrument. —Chris Spargo, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025

When an intrusion onto commercial property would be a trespass for a member of the public, law enforcement officers cannot enter the property without the owner’s consent, a warrant, or certain special circumstances. —Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2025

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

Rhymes for trespass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• chagas
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse

Kids Definition

trespass

1 of 2 noun

tres·​pass ˈtres-pəs 

-ˌpas

1

: sin entry 1, offense

2

: 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

1

: err sense 1, sin

2

: 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

: 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

b

: 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