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

Nevertheless, hopeful hikers have continuously trespassed – while causing disturbances – through residential neighborhoods and private property to ascend the nearly 4,000 World War II-era steel stairs for a panoramic view of Oahu. —Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024

Life has been even harder since the police started enforcing trespassing laws, intermittently kicking her off the property. —Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

More than 1,230 people — including 34 North Carolinians — have been charged with federal crimes in the riot, ranging from misdemeanor offenses like trespassing to felonies like assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy. —Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2024

In a news conference last May, St. John County Sheriff Robert Hardwick had said the arrest was by the book and that Aguilar Mendez had been trespassing. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 4 Mar. 2024

Enbridge should be required to promptly leave our Reservation, just like other companies that have trespassed on tribal land. —Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024

The police department responded to 18 calls from residents during the last two months of 2023 about people in vehicles trespassing on private property. —Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024

Although the bill does not mention immigrants, its sponsor, Republican Rep. Justin Heap, said in a committee hearing that his bill was intended to close a loophole to assist ranchers who may witness someone trespassing any section of their land, not just within a mile of their home. —Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024

Related Articles Pierce Brosnan faces federal charges after allegedly trespassing in ‘delicate’ Yellowstone hot spring Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, located 200 miles (322 kilometers) north of Fairbanks, stretches over 8.4 million acres. —Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2024

Noun

The International Dark Sky Society, founded in 1988, works to raise awareness of light pollution and to promote responsible lighting to reduce glare, light trespass and night glow. —Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

Enbridge said this means the Line 5 pipeline is not in trespass. —Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024

The 38-year-old Delaware man was charged with criminal trespass, theft by taking, fleeing or attempting to elude, reckless driving, second degree criminal damage to property, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, officials said. —Mark Price, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024

He is charged with criminal trespass, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. —The Enquirer, 5 Apr. 2024

Singapore police posted a statement about the event, claiming that four fans—two men and two women—are currently under investigation for criminal trespass. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024

The man who urinated on the flag has been charged with ethnic intimidation, criminal mischief, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, according to The Columbus Dispatch. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2024

And yet Maxine is a good person, whose schemes and trespasses one does not quite forgive, but makes allowances for against hopeful future corrections. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024

Johnson is facing charges in Butler County Area 1 Court, including underage possession of alcohol, criminal trespass, resisting arrest and assault, according to court records. —Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 12 Jan. 2024

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

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