Word
intrusion
Phoneticsin·tru·sion, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈtɹuʒən/
UK/ɪntɹˈuːʒən/
Definitions
01unwanted entry
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of going into a place or situation where you are not invited or welcome.
n. the act of entering a physical or metaphorical space without invitation or permission, often causing a disturbance.
“I felt that his constant questions were an intrusion into my private life.”
“The sudden intrusion of the press into the family's private mourning sparked a national debate about media ethics and privacy laws.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'into'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02unwanted thoughts
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Psychology Technical
n. a memory or thought that pops into your head even though you do not want it there.
n. an involuntary and distressing thought, image, or memory that enters the consciousness and causes anxiety.
“She suffered from mental intrusions of the accident for several weeks.”
“Clinical psychologists work with patients to manage cognitive intrusions that disrupt daily functioning and reinforce negative emotional states.”
Usage
Commonly used in the context of trauma or anxiety disorders.
03rock formation
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Science Technical
n. liquid rock (magma) that is forced into existing cracks in other rocks.
n. the process or result of magma being forced into preexisting rock formations and solidifying.
“The cliff face showed a dark intrusion of volcanic rock through the limestone.”
“Geologists identified a massive granite intrusion that had altered the surrounding sedimentary layers through intense heat and pressure.”
Usage
Usually refers to the rock body itself or the geological event.
Antonyms
04added speech sound
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Technical
n. a sound that people add when speaking even though it is not in the spelling.
n. the insertion of a phoneme into the pronunciation of a word or phrase that is not represented in its orthography.
“In some accents, the intrusion of an 'r' sound happens between two vowels.”
“The researcher noted the frequent intrusion of a glottal stop in the local dialect, which served to separate adjacent vowel sounds across word boundaries.”
Usage
Often used to describe the 'intrusive r' in certain English accents.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Room intrusions were still being reported at one-in-10 Travelodge hotels this summer, a review finds.” “White residents thought his visit a “disgusting” intrusion.” Etymology
From Middle English intrusioun, from Old French intrusion, from Medieval Latin intrūsiō, from intrūdō, from Latin in- + trūdō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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