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

In the past, the court has said the 4th Amendment protects against government searches that intrude upon a “reasonable expectation of privacy.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2026

The Code of Fundraising Practice stipulates that charities should not unreasonably intrude on a person's privacy, put undue pressure on a person to donate, or use unreasonably persistent approaches.

From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026

“I don’t want to intrude, wouldn’t be here at all if Percy hadn’t wanted to see you all so badly...”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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

No wit or humanity, or even any genuine horror, intrudes on the mechanical chases, the plastic plot twists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2023

As the sea intrudes, salt ruins the crop.

From Seattle Times ● May 21, 2023

Into my restless sleep a figure in white intrudes.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

The Kim regime seethed when, on four different occasions between September and January, drones intruded into North Korea’s airspace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

Beijing said the aircraft had "intentionally intruded" into its airspace.

From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2025

When more theatrical elements come into play — such as the Mexican flower lady crying, “Flores para los Muertos” — the staging feels almost intruded upon by an extraneous sensibility.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2024

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

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 19, 2024

I closed my eyes, but the light still intruded, so I added a pillow over the top half of my face.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Fear of saying the wrong thing or intruding at a sensitive time can leave people worried about getting it wrong and avoiding reaching out altogether.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 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

There are so many negatives intruding that investors would be lucky to escape the coming year in one piece.

From Barron's ● Dec. 31, 2025

Prince Harry claimed a monumental victory Wednesday as Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids made an unprecedented apology for intruding in his life over decades.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2025

The visitors entered uncertainly as though they felt they were intruding, tiptoeing in with stares of meek apology, first the grieving mother and father, then the brother, a glowering heavy-set sailor with a deep chest.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

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