home invasion

Meaning

1. 1nouncountablelaw

   A crime in which someone forces their way into an occupied home, often to steal or to threaten the people inside.

   Grammar: Takes an or an: a home invasion; plural home invasions appears in news reports.

   Patterns

   • a home invasion at somewhere
   • be the victim of a home invasion

   Police are searching for two suspects after a home invasion on Maple Street.

   The family installed cameras after a neighbor suffered a home invasion.

   She was home alone during the home invasion and called the emergency number.

Word forms

Common combinations

victim of a home invasion

He was the victim of a home invasion last winter.

armed home invasion

Officers responded to an armed home invasion.

home invasion robbery

He was charged with home invasion robbery.

prevent a home invasion

Good locks can help prevent a home invasion.

report a home invasion

Residents should report a home invasion at once.

Synonyms and how they differ

burglary

Burglary means entering a building to steal, even when nobody is home, so it is broader and less threatening.

break-in

Break-in is an informal term that doesn't imply anyone was inside.

robbery

Robbery involves taking property from a person by force, wherever it happens.

Word family

invade verb

to enter a place by force

invader noun

a person who enters by force

invasion noun

an act of forcing entry

invasive adjective

spreading or entering unwelcomely

Commonly confused: home invasion or burglary?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “home invasion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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