encroach

as in to invade
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits each year the sea continues to encroach upon the island's beaches

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb encroach differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of encroach are infringe, invade, and trespass. While all these words mean "to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another," 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

Where would infringe be a reasonable alternative to encroach?

The words infringe and encroach are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative.

infringing a copyright

When can invade be used instead of encroach?

The words invade and encroach can be used in similar contexts, but invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another.

accused of invading their privacy

When could trespass be used to replace encroach?

While the synonyms trespass and encroach are close in meaning, trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion.

hunters trespassing on farmland

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of encroach Shafer said that in spite of encroaching development, Deer Flat’s urban location encircling Lake Lowell may make the refuge less vulnerable to federal funding cuts. Alex Music july 30, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2025 During the same period, explorers began encroaching on the islands, including Captain James Cook and British fur trader John Meares, whose arrival is depicted in episode 2. Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025 But the move also means encroaching on the turf of chipmaker customers such as Qualcomm. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 31 July 2025 The building sits at the edge of the historic Steptoe neighborhood, a historically Black enclave now being encroached upon by St. Luke’s hospital expansions and new apartment builds. David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for encroach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encroach
Verb
  • Based on true events, Northern Irish painters hired to decorate Saddam Hussein’s palace become hostages when Iraq invades Kuwait.
    Callum McLennan, Variety, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Associated Press Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a close ally of Putin, including in the years since the Russian leader invaded Ukraine.
    Sonam Sheth Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The neighborhood drug dealing and violence eventually crept all the way up to the family's front porch, where one of her uncles was fatally shot, just seven months after her grandmother died.
    Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Long before current inflationary problems, theater tickets had been creeping up for years in pricing, as the cost of running a show skyrocketed.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Hundreds of energized voters snaked around Union Square on Sunday afternoon, as New Yorkers sought one of the limited Zohran Mamdani Scavenger Hunt cards at the first clue stop.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The river snaked on into the next county, but the trail stopped near the highway.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Encroach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encroach. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

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