# invasive

/ˌɪnˈveɪsɪv/ (US) · /ɪnvˈeɪsɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/invasive
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. biology/ecology

adjective · CEFR B2

describes a plant or animal that spreads quickly in a new place and harms the local environment.

For teachers: relating to a non-native species that spreads prolifically, often outcompeting indigenous flora or fauna and disrupting the local ecosystem.

- The park is struggling to remove invasive weeds that are killing the local flowers.
- Ecologists are concerned that the introduction of invasive carp will permanently alter the river's biodiversity by depleting the primary food sources of native fish.

### 2. medical procedure

adjective · CEFR B2

describes medical treatment or a test that involves cutting the skin or putting a tool inside the body.

For teachers: denoting a medical procedure that requires the entry of an instrument or substance into the body, typically through an incision or a natural orifice.

- The doctor suggested a scan first because it is less invasive than surgery.
- While the diagnostic benefits are significant, the patient was hesitant to undergo such an invasive procedure without exploring more conservative treatment options first.

### 3. privacy/rights

adjective · CEFR B2

entering your private life or space in an annoying or upsetting way.

For teachers: tending to intrude on a person's privacy, autonomy, or individual rights.

- The new security cameras felt very invasive to the people living in the building.
- Critics argue that the new data-collection laws are unnecessarily invasive and grant the government too much access to private digital communications.

### 4. disease/cancer

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describes a disease or cancer that spreads quickly into healthy parts of the body.

For teachers: referring to a pathological growth, particularly a carcinoma, that spreads into and destroys healthy surrounding tissue.

- The tests showed that the cancer was invasive and had reached the nearby organs.
- The biopsy confirmed that the tumor was an invasive ductal carcinoma, necessitating a more aggressive course of chemotherapy and radiation.

### 5. an invasive species

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a plant or animal that has moved into a new area and is causing problems.

For teachers: an organism that is not native to a specific location and has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage to the environment.

- Gardeners are encouraged to pull up any invasives they find to protect the local woods.
- The management plan focuses on the early detection and rapid response to new invasives before they can establish self-sustaining populations in the wetlands.

## Examples

- The doctor says this surgery is not very invasive.
- The gardener spent the entire weekend pulling up invasive weeds that were killing the local flowers.
- While laparoscopic techniques are considered minimally invasive, they still carry the inherent risks of general anesthesia and potential internal scarring that any surgical intervention entails.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.