as in creeping
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
each year the sea continues to encroach upon the island's beaches
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Recent Examples of encroaching
Others seemed more offended by the idea of the federal government encroaching on local control.
—
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The current rendering shows 7,200 square feet allocated to four courts, encroaching on open beach space that could be available to beachgoers and picnickers.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Airports take dramatic steps to prevent birds and other wildlife from encroaching on runways.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
The moonless nights of mid-May are a fantastic time to spot the glowing band of the Milky Way arching across the spring sky, before the encroaching twilight of the summer months shortens the viewing window.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 May 2026
Your neighbors may not want to deal with its thorny leaves encroaching on their yard.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
An encroaching fog is disrupting the ferry schedule.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
Space can also prove an issue, because some school administrators see even tiny gardens in 5-gallon buckets as encroaching on their schools’ playgrounds.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
Songs here that start off surprisingly bracing resolve into big, sleek choruses, the work of firm believers in the power of heroic, high-protein mainstream alt-rock as a salve against encroaching darkness.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The current rendering shows 7,200 square feet allocated to four courts, encroaching on open beach space that could be available to beachgoers and picnickers.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Airports take dramatic steps to prevent birds and other wildlife from encroaching on runways.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
The moonless nights of mid-May are a fantastic time to spot the glowing band of the Milky Way arching across the spring sky, before the encroaching twilight of the summer months shortens the viewing window.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 May 2026
Your neighbors may not want to deal with its thorny leaves encroaching on their yard.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
An encroaching fog is disrupting the ferry schedule.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
Space can also prove an issue, because some school administrators see even tiny gardens in 5-gallon buckets as encroaching on their schools’ playgrounds.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
Songs here that start off surprisingly bracing resolve into big, sleek choruses, the work of firm believers in the power of heroic, high-protein mainstream alt-rock as a salve against encroaching darkness.
—Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encroaching
Verb
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Audiences have championed the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares that made ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras feel terrifying.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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This low-mounding shade perennial sends up taller, slender stems with airy flower clusters, and the groundcover spreads by slowly creeping rhizomes.—
Judy Nauseef,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
Verb
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This marks the first year Russia has taken part in the renowned Italian art festival since invading Ukraine.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
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Russia pulled out of the 2022 edition of the arts Biennale after invading Ukraine War and did not attend the event in 2024.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encroaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encroaching. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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