encroaching
Slowly taking over
Encroaching describes something that gradually intrudes or advances beyond proper limits.
Development encroaches on wetlands; darkness encroaches as evening falls.
The word often carries negative connotations of unwelcome intrusion: the encroaching influence of social media on daily life, encroaching weeds threatening the garden.
What encroaches takes territory that isn't rightfully its own.
Unauthorized presence on property
- invadingEntering by force
- intrudingEntering without welcome
- oversteppingExceeding appropriate bounds
- boundaryLine marking a limit
infringement · violation · property · land · border · unauthorized · poaching · squatting
Moving slowly, stealthily
- inchingMoving very gradually
- advancingMoving in forward direction
- spreadingExtending over space
- expandingGrowing in scope
seeping · oozing · infiltrating · permeating · progressing · growing · extending · swelling
Uncontrolled plant expansion
- vegetationPlant life collectively
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- weedsUnwanted wild plants
- vinesClimbing, trailing plants
roots · undergrowth · jungle · forest · erosion · dunes · desert · floodwaters
Invading others' privacy
- invasiveEncroaching without welcome
- imposingImpressively grand in scale
- unwantedNot wished for
- obtrusiveUnpleasantly prominent or noticeable
meddlesome · interfering · presumptuous · pushy · overbearing · disruptive · bothersome · threatening
trespassing
Unauthorized presence on property
- invadingEntering by force
- intrudingEntering without welcome
- oversteppingExceeding appropriate bounds
boundary · infringement · violation · property · land · border · unauthorized · poaching · squatting · annexation
creeping
Moving slowly, stealthily
expanding · seeping · oozing · infiltrating · permeating · progressing · growing · extending · swelling · escalating
overgrowth
Uncontrolled plant expansion
- vegetationPlant life collectively
- wildernessUncultivated, uninhabited natural region
- weedsUnwanted wild plants
vines · roots · undergrowth · jungle · forest · erosion · dunes · desert · floodwaters · tide
intrusive
Invading others' privacy
obtrusive · meddlesome · interfering · presumptuous · pushy · overbearing · disruptive · bothersome · threatening · looming
- interferenceinterfering, meddling, intruding, butting in, obstructing
- intimidationthreats, threatening, menacing, intimidate, bullying
- stealthsneak, ninja, creep, spy, skulk
- gradual motioncrawling, creeping, inching, drifting, gliding
- overgrownovergrown, tangled, weedy, wild, unkempt
- approachingapproaching, nearing, coming, advancing, closing in
encroachingretreating
Moving back from advance
withdrawing · receding · pulling back · falling back · backing away
encroachingrespecting
About; on the topic
honoring · observing · keeping distance · deferring · ignoring
encroachingreceding
Moving away from observer
diminishing · contracting · shrinking · dwindling · waning
encroach, crochet, encroachment, encroached, encroaches, encroachments