Meaning & use
encroachment
Last updated
the gradual and often unwelcome intrusion into someone else's territory, rights, or property.
See it in a sentence
Residents complained about the encroachment of new construction onto the nature reserve.
The company faced a lawsuit over its encroachment on a rival's patent.
A note on using this word
Often used for slow, incremental intrusions rather than sudden invasions, whether physical (land) or abstract (rights).
Words with a similar meaning
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