encroach
Americanverb (used without object)
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to advance beyond proper, established, or usual limits; make gradual inroads.
A dictatorship of the majority is encroaching on the rights of the individual.
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to trespass upon the property, domain, or rights of another, especially stealthily or by gradual advances.
verb
-
to intrude gradually, stealthily, or insidiously upon the rights, property, etc, of another
-
to advance beyond the usual or proper limits
Related Words
See trespass.
Other Word Forms
- encroacher noun
- encroachingly adverb
- encroachment noun
- unencroached adjective
Etymology
Origin of encroach
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English encrochen, from Anglo-French encrocher, Old French encrochier “to catch hold of, seize,” equivalent to en- en- 1 + -crochier, verbal derivative of croc “hook,” from Germanic; crooked, crook 1
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.
Under the tropical sun, vegetation has been encroaching on the vast concrete and metal structures that once vented flames created by giant rockets blasting off into space.
From Barron's
A mix of short-seller reports, worries about artificial intelligence encroaching on its core game-advertising business, and weakness in tech stocks has weighed on shares.
From Barron's
Meanwhile, those who sell traditional Valentine’s Day gift items don’t seem overly worried about vacuum brands encroaching on their turf.
From MarketWatch
"They had to do this under this huge pressure of an encroaching red level storm that had the potential to completely derail the investigation and wash all of the evidence away."
From BBC
At the time, Lord Rennard apologised if he had "inadvertently encroached" upon "personal space".
From BBC
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.
