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
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to intrude gradually, stealthily, or insidiously upon the rights, property, etc, of another
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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.
They have been a part of the city landscape since the 1930s, when urban sprawl began to encroach on their rural territory.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
He warns that humanoid robots might encroach on the manual-labor jobs some see as AI-proof.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
A report that Meta is in discussions to buy billions of dollars’ worth of Alphabet’s highly specialized AI microchips has led to speculation that the Google parent could encroach on Nvidia’s dominant market share.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025
Hawkers encroach upon roads and footpaths to sell their wares, forcing pedestrians onto busy roads and further complicating traffic flow.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2025
Ivy held prior place in this lost garden, the long strands crept across the lawns, and soon would encroach upon the house itself.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
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.
