encroachment
AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of encroachment
1425–75; late Middle English encrochement < Anglo-French. See encroach, -ment
Explanation
An encroachment is something that intrudes and has the power to influence whatever it encounters. Some might consider text messaging to be an encroachment of impersonal technology on true, heartfelt interactions. Encroachment carries the sense of something slowly creeping into something else's space, either literally or figuratively. An encroachment can be of the physical variety, such as the encroachment of new development into a beautiful coastal area. Encroachment typically has a slightly a negative meaning, hinting at something that intrudes on something and then spoils it in some way.
Vocabulary lists containing encroachment
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Federalist Papers, No. 51 by James Madison
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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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.
However, a New York Times report on Monday pointed to deep concerns on the Greenlandic side about encroachment of sovereignty.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
The Gemini military business might eventually represent a small encroachment on Palantir’s turf, but the larger message is that the military will adopt a lot of AI tools in the future.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
However, such controversy narrows the issue of A.I.’s steady encroachment to one of process, rather than impact.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
The advisers brainstormed an approach that would take a harder line on China’s encroachment on American technology.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Using one signal or another, each form of life announces its proximity to the others around it, setting limits on encroachment or spreading welcome to potential symbionts.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
