as in incursion
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the irruptions of the Goths into Italy in the fifth century
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Recent Examples of irruption
Premodern mysticism was not concerned with the predictable or the probable, but with the opposite: with moments of irruption, of disabling wonder.
—
Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
Central to this tumultuous state of affairs was the irruption of graffiti that took the city by surprise starting sometime in the late 1960s as new products like spray-paint and permanent markers were made easily available.
—Antonio Sergio Bessa, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025
Orwell narrowed it down to the Edwardian era — 1901 to 1919 — long before the irruptions of two world wars and the Great Depression.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
This is the largest owl irruption in Minnesota in two decades.
—Dan Kraker, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025
An irruption is a sudden change in population density.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2023
What is an irruption?
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 22 Nov. 2022
Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
Central to this tumultuous state of affairs was the irruption of graffiti that took the city by surprise starting sometime in the late 1960s as new products like spray-paint and permanent markers were made easily available.
—Antonio Sergio Bessa, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025
Orwell narrowed it down to the Edwardian era — 1901 to 1919 — long before the irruptions of two world wars and the Great Depression.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
This is the largest owl irruption in Minnesota in two decades.
—Dan Kraker, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025
An irruption is a sudden change in population density.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2023
What is an irruption?
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 22 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irruption
Noun
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Additionally, the past few years have not been easy for many brick-and-mortar shops as business has pivoted toward online shopping and rapid-delivery services, and some shopkeepers oppose the incursion of the parklets into their storefronts and street parking.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
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Ukrainian drones have previously crashed in all three Baltic states, which all share borders with Russia, with officials blaming the inadvertent incursion on Russian electronic warfare.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Noun
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After investigating, detectives learned that Martinez had assaulted his girlfriend with a knife prior to the invasion.—
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
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The economic boom brought in by human capital from Russians and Ukrainians fleeing to the country over the Russian invasion of Ukraine helped offset concerns about his divisive foreign policy.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Prosecutors say Ian Roberts spent nearly two decades working in urban schools without authorization, using a counterfeit Social Security card as Des Moines’ leader, even as Trump-era ICE raids intensified.—
Hannah Fingerhut,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
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The bakery became a gathering point for community support during federal immigration raids in Charlotte last fall, when Betancur temporarily closed the shop for the first time in its history.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irruption. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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