intrusive
Americanadjective
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tending or apt to intrude; coming without invitation or welcome.
intrusive memories of a lost love.
- Synonyms:
- disturbing, irritating, troublesome, worrisome, irksome, bothersome, annoying
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characterized by or involving intrusion.
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intruding; thrusting in.
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Geology.
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(of a rock) having been forced between preexisting rocks or rock layers while in a molten or plastic condition.
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noting or pertaining to plutonic rocks.
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Phonetics. excrescent.
adjective
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characterized by intrusion or tending to intrude
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(of igneous rocks) formed by intrusion Compare extrusive
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phonetics relating to or denoting a speech sound that is introduced into a word or piece of connected speech for a phonetic rather than a historical or grammatical reason, such as the (r) often pronounced between idea and of in the idea of it
Other Word Forms
- intrusively adverb
- intrusiveness noun
- nonintrusive adjective
- nonintrusively adverb
- unintrusive adjective
- unintrusively adverb
Etymology
Origin of intrusive
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; intrusion, -ive
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.
"He asked for my mobile phone and checked everything, even my photographs. It was extremely intrusive," she added.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
“And it’s on a spectrum: Some people experience milder symptoms while others may have intense, sort of intrusive thoughts.”
From Slate • Mar. 15, 2026
The group said the impact of the criminal justice system on victims can be "devastating" and that many often experience "over-zealous and intrusive questioning".
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
Seen potentially as a vision for beautification, a contrast, for instance, from the nature intrusive barbs that aim to deter wildlife, “Spike Cafe” has become a statement of harmony.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026
It doesn’t feel cool—it feels intrusive and like I’m going to get yelled at by the owner at any minute for being in their bedroom and oh my God why are we in a bedroom?
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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.
