Synonyms of encroach

encroach

verb

in-ˈkrōch 

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

• invade
• creep
• snake
• worm
• inch
• impinge
• sneak
• intrude
• infringe
• entrench
• intrench
• overstep
• overrun
• overshoot
• overreach
• overpass

Synonym Chooser

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

Recent Examples of encroach

Although no one was injured in this instance, earlier this week, a man was gored by a bison at the park after a group of tourists encroached on its space, as reported by The Associated Press. —Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025

To illustrate that encroaching epidemic, Ducournau toggles between two timelines, a structure that seems deliberately disorienting. —Kyle Buchanan, New York Times, 21 May 2025

But bear defenders argue that people have encroached into bear habitat — not the other way around. —Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 May 2025

The state, the thinking went, should not encroach on the natural order produced by the churning of free-market forces. —Jennifer M. Harris, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

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