intrude

American  

[in-trood] / ɪnˈtrud /

verb (used with object)

• intrudes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• intruded,
  past participle,  past
• intruding
  present participle

1. to thrust or bring in without invitation, permission, or welcome.

2. Geology. to thrust or force into.

3. to install (a cleric) in a church contrary to the wishes of its members.

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verb (used without object)

• intrudes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• intruded,
  past participle,  past
• intruding
  present participle

1. to thrust oneself without permission or welcome.

   to intrude upon their privacy.

   Synonyms:

   interlope, interfere

intrude British  

/ ɪnˈtruːd /

verb

1. to put forward or interpose (oneself, one's views, something) abruptly or without invitation

2. geology to force or thrust (rock material, esp molten magma) or (of rock material) to be thrust between solid rocks

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Synonym Usage

See trespass.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• intruder
  noun
• self-intruder
  noun
• unintruded
  adjective
• unintruding
  adjective
• intrudingly
  adverb
• unintrudingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• intruding
  present
• intruded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• intrude
  simple
• intrudes
  simple
• have intruded
  perfect
• has intruded
  perfect
• am intruding
  progressive
• are intruding
  progressive
• is intruding
  progressive
• have been intruding
  perfect progressive
• has been intruding
  perfect progressive

Past

• intruded
  simple
• had intruded
  perfect
• was intruding
  progressive
• were intruding
  progressive
• had been intruding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will intrude
  simple
• will have intruded
  perfect
• will be intruding
  progressive
• will have been intruding
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of intrude

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin intrūdere “to push in,” equivalent to in- in- ² + trūdere “to push”

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Explanation

When someone says, “I hate to intrude, but…” you can bet she is in fact going to interrupt your conversation or insert her opinion, even though it isn’t wanted. House burglars also intrude, but they don’t usually announce it first. People can intrude in different ways, but it is usually uninvited and also unwelcome. This verb is derived from the Latin, intrudere, in which the in- means “into” and -trudere means, “to thrust.” So people can in intrude by thrusting or forcing themselves into your private life, your personal body space, or your home. Loud music could intrude into your studying. A memory could intrude while you are trying to focus on texting a message.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

intrude intrudes intruded intruding

Justice Scalia’s opinion for the court held that it was, because the device allowed the police to intrude on the privacy of the home’s interior.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

"The court does not intrude on parliament by ensuring parliament can sit," the judgement said.

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

These thoughts even intrude on him when he’s reading for fun—or trying to.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2025

It only three minutes for reality to intrude.

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2025

“I do not wish to intrude upon your thoughts and schemes.”

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

The "Jerk" method identifies extremely small ground motions that occur when magma intrudes into the crust.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 15, 2026

Anderson plays the children's mother, whose presence intrudes into the family's lives despite her apparently having been killed by wolves.

From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026

They are living ghosts, traumatized survivors of a school shooting that occurred 10 years earlier, but the memory of which intrudes like an unwelcome guest on a wedding celebration taking place in the present.

From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2024

Time can have a curious ebb and flow in “The Shadowless Tower,” a ruminative Chinese drama in which the past intrudes on — and at times overwhelms — the present.

From New York Times ● Mar. 14, 2024

Mostly the kids here don’t seem to notice anything unless it intrudes on their idea of personal space.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

But through the first week of this year’s event, a question has intruded on the spectacle: When does atmosphere start to supersede tennis?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

At highway speeds, the BBS’s inner peace is intruded upon only by the distant drumming of the vast wheels and tires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026

This signal confirmed that magma had intruded beneath the volcano.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 15, 2026

But one way is, has it intruded upon your imagination?

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 19, 2024

The girl who’d intruded on her sanctuary looked to be about thirteen, like Akira.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

A stranger passes by, intruding momentarily on our conversation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

But make-believe can only get one so far when the real world keeps intruding.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

In the town of Grevena further to the south, 48‑year‑old Lefteris Zioutis regularly posts images of intruding bears on social media.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

The way everyone responded to this error—by turning a simple mistake into a ritual flogging—only bolsters the toxic notion that the press is forever viciously intruding on the secret, sacred work of perfect jurists.

From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026

As I turned ahead, a massive form emerged from the darkness, intruding into the electrical lights’ harsh gleam.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

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Related Words

• encroach
• infringe
• interfere
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