Encroachment
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 An entry into a place or area that was previously uncommon; an advance beyond former borders; intrusion; incursion. uncountable, usually
"At the same time, the encroachment of vegetation proceeds apace, and broom and brambles have already made portions of the line impassable, even on foot."
- 2 influencing strongly wordnet
- 3 An intrusion upon another's possessions or rights; infringement. uncountable, usually
"The Legislative department derives a superiority in our Governments from other circumstances. Its constitutional powers being at once more extensive, and less susceptible of precise limits, it can, with the greater facility, mask, under complicated and indirect measures, the encroachments which it makes on the coördinate departments."
- 4 entry to another's property without right or permission wordnet
- 5 That which is gained by such unlawful intrusion. uncountable, usually
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- 6 any entry into an area not previously occupied wordnet
- 7 An unlawful diminution of the possessions of another. uncountable, usually
Example
More examples"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding."
Etymology
From encroach + -ment.
More for "encroachment"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.