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Showing results for intrusive. Search instead for unintrusive .
Synonyms

intrusive

American  
[in-troo-siv] / ɪnˈtru sɪv /

adjective

  1. tending or apt to intrude; coming without invitation or welcome.

    intrusive memories of a lost love.

    Synonyms:
    disturbing , irritating , troublesome , worrisome , irksome , bothersome , annoying
  2. characterized by or involving intrusion.

  3. intruding; thrusting in.

  4. Geology.

    1. (of a rock) having been forced between preexisting rocks or rock layers while in a molten or plastic condition.

    2. noting or pertaining to plutonic rocks.

  5. Phonetics.  excrescent.


intrusive British  
/ ɪnˈtruːsɪv /

adjective

  1. characterized by intrusion or tending to intrude

  2. (of igneous rocks) formed by intrusion Compare extrusive

  3. phonetics relating to or denoting a speech sound that is introduced into a word or piece of connected speech for a phonetic rather than a historical or grammatical reason, such as the (r) often pronounced between idea and of in the idea of it

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • intrusively adverb
  • intrusiveness noun
  • nonintrusive adjective
  • nonintrusively adverb
  • unintrusive adjective
  • unintrusively adverb

Etymology

Origin of intrusive

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; intrusion, -ive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Most free VPNs do not provide absolute protection and come with significant drawbacks, including weak encryption, data logging and intrusive ads.

From Salon

But though England in the late 16th century is an utterly alien time and place, and it feels that way in some early scenes, Ms. Zhao grafts onto her setting an intrusive 21st-century sensibility.

From The Wall Street Journal

“In some ways it can be a good boundary with family, because you have your own built-in source of support if your family is overly intrusive,” Coleman said.

From MarketWatch

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke ruled the prosecutions were unnecessary and allowed both appeals, noting "less intrusive" measures of dealing with the case had not been pursued.

From BBC

They’re intrusive at the table, with very specific characters that don’t easily accompany the gentler flavors of turkey and squash.

From The Wall Street Journal