as in creeping
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits
each year the sea continues to encroach upon the island's beaches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 encroaching
The partnership was formed to address the invasive trees and shrubs encroaching on the natural grasslands in TNC's Folsom Point Preserve in Iowa, which is located just over 12 miles from Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.
—
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Ideal for the coats-and-boots season fastly encroaching.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Still, Kalshi has been encroaching on the sports betting operators in a broader sense.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Obama tried to assuage Maron’s/our fears about encroaching fascism.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
In addition, invasive species are encroaching on World Heritage sites.
—Jessica Beaudette, The Conversation, 11 Oct. 2025
The atmosphere of a Gothic novel creeps over you; encroaching mist along the outcroppings.
—Leanna Renee Hieber, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
Bogard ventured to Chile to see how light pollution is encroaching on astronomy and changing our sense of place in the universe, perhaps irrevocably.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 Oct. 2025
In fact, many fans believe Walt Disney kept newspapers and television sets out of his parks so that guests could be fully immersed in a fantastical world, without reality or politics encroaching.
—Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Ideal for the coats-and-boots season fastly encroaching.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Still, Kalshi has been encroaching on the sports betting operators in a broader sense.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Obama tried to assuage Maron’s/our fears about encroaching fascism.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
In addition, invasive species are encroaching on World Heritage sites.
—Jessica Beaudette, The Conversation, 11 Oct. 2025
The atmosphere of a Gothic novel creeps over you; encroaching mist along the outcroppings.
—Leanna Renee Hieber, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025
Bogard ventured to Chile to see how light pollution is encroaching on astronomy and changing our sense of place in the universe, perhaps irrevocably.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 Oct. 2025
In fact, many fans believe Walt Disney kept newspapers and television sets out of his parks so that guests could be fully immersed in a fantastical world, without reality or politics encroaching.
—Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encroaching
Verb
-
Even though the regular season is creeping closer by the hour and the anticipation of it all is wafting through the city, Charles Lee insists not much has changed.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Cold temps may be creeping in, but your travel dreams don’t have to hibernate.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
An invading army has seized Europe’s largest nuclear plant, taken thousands of its employees hostage, and turned the grounds—home to a large stockpile of nuclear fuel—into a forward operating base in the middle of an active war zone.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Licensing officials also investigated educators accused of grooming behaviors like flirting with children, spending non-school time alone and isolated with students, or invading students’ personal space by rubbing their shoulders, thighs and lower backs.—
Danielle DuClos,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Encroaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encroaching. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share