invade

invade — verb

1. to use military action to enter and gain power over another country or region

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to use military action to enter and gain power over another country or region

Example

In 1939, German forces invaded Poland, starting the war in Europe.

invade + country name; historical context

The army invaded the neighbouring kingdom and seized the capital within days.

invade + object (region); followed by consequence clause

Common collocations
  • invade a country
  • invade territory
  • invade a nation
  • invade a region
Synonyms
  • occupy

    suggests staying and controlling after entering, not just the act of entering

  • attack

    broader — can be a small-scale raid; does not imply taking control

  • storm

    suggests a sudden, violent assault on a specific position

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

invade + noun phrase (country/territory)

invade without object when location is clear from context

Usage Note

Subject is usually a nation, army, or military force. Frequently used in historical and political contexts. Can be used without a direct object when the target location is understood from context.

Common Mistakes

The tourists invaded the country last summer.
The tourists visited / flocked to the country last summer.
'Invade' in this sense is specific to military action, not general travel.

2. to go into a place in great numbers, often causing harm or disruption and usuall

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveC1
Definition

to go into a place in great numbers, often causing harm or disruption and usually without being welcome

Example

Every August, tourists invade the small coastal town, filling every hotel and restaurant.

invade + place; seasonal pattern

Ants invaded the kitchen through a crack near the window and covered the counter.

invade + location; concrete animal subject

Common collocations
  • invade a home
  • invade a space
  • invade a garden
  • invade a town
  • invade the pitch
Synonyms
  • overrun

    suggests overwhelming and taking over completely, often with damage

  • flood

    less aggressive than 'invade'; can be neutral or positive

  • swarm

    suggests chaotic, moving crowds, especially insects or people

Antonyms
  • clear out of

    implies leaving a place, opposite of entering in numbers

Grammar Patterns

invade + noun phrase (place/space)

invade without object when subject type makes meaning clear

Usage Note

Subject is typically a large group — people, animals, insects, or plants. Almost always carries a negative connotation of being unwanted or harmful. Can be used figuratively (e.g. 'fans invaded the pitch').

Common Mistakes

Mosquitoes invaded my bedroom last night.' (too dramatic for everyday speech)
A mosquito got into my bedroom last night.
Reserve 'invade' for genuinely large numbers; use simpler verbs for isolated incidents.

3. to enter a market, industry, or area of activity with great force and a strong i

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to enter a market, industry, or area of activity with great force and a strong impact, often disrupting existing players

Example

A Chinese tech company has invaded the European smartphone market with low-cost devices.

invade + market; business context

The streaming service invaded the television industry and changed how people watch shows.

invade + industry; followed by result

Common collocations
  • invade a market
  • invade an industry
  • invade a sector
  • invade a field
Synonyms
  • enter

    neutral; no implication of force or disruption

  • penetrate

    formal, often used in marketing; suggests breaking into a closed market

  • disrupt

    focuses on the effect of changing existing patterns, not the act of entering

Antonyms
  • withdraw from

    implies leaving a market or field of activity

  • exit

    neutral term for leaving a market

Grammar Patterns

invade + noun phrase (market/industry/field)

Usage Note

Common in business journalism and marketing contexts. Object is typically a market, sector, industry, or field. Carries a sense of aggressive or disruptive entry, not just participation.

Common Mistakes

Our small bakery invaded the local market.
Our small bakery entered the local market.
'Invade' implies large-scale, forceful entry; use 'enter' or 'join' for modest operations.

4. to disturb or spoil a situation, experience, or quality for someone by entering

4.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to disturb or spoil a situation, experience, or quality for someone by entering it without consideration for their feelings

Example

His rude comments invaded the warm atmosphere of the dinner party and made everyone uncomfortable.

invade + abstract atmosphere; cause-effect structure

The constant noise from the construction site invaded our peaceful afternoon at home.

invade + quality/state; passive-like structure

Common collocations
  • invade privacy
  • invade personal space
  • invade peace
  • invade someone's mind
  • invade the atmosphere
Synonyms
  • intrude on

    slightly less strong; focuses on entering without invitation

  • encroach on

    formal, suggests gradual intrusion

  • trespass on

    suggests crossing a personal boundary, often with moral overtones

Antonyms
  • respect

    the opposite of intruding upon someone's space or feelings

  • protect

    the action of keeping something safe from disturbance

Grammar Patterns

invade + noun phrase (abstract concept: privacy, peace, space, confidence)

Usage Note

Object must be an abstract noun (privacy, peace, space, atmosphere, confidence, mind) or a gerund phrase describing an experience. Unlike other senses, subject is often a non-physical force (noise, thoughts, comments).

Common Mistakes

His questions invaded me.
His questions invaded my privacy.
Sense 4 does not take a person as direct object; the object must be the thing that is spoiled or intruded upon.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Invade, occupy, attack, storm, and conquer all relate to military action, but they highlight different stages and intentions. Invade focuses on the act of entering another's territory with armed force — it begins the conflict. Occupy implies staying and controlling after entry; a country may invade a neighbour and then occupy its capital for years. Attack is the broadest term — it can refer to any act of violence against a target, from a single bomb to a full-scale assault, and does not necessarily involve crossing a border. Storm suggests a sudden, violent rush at a specific position, such as storming a beach or a fortress. Conquer means to defeat and gain lasting control over a people or place; you can conquer a nation without ever invading it (through economic or political means). For example: 'The army invaded at dawn' (entry), but 'They conquered the region over the next decade' (long-term control).

invade ↗occupy ↗attack ↗storm ↗conquer ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • army
  • troops
  • forces
  • invaders
  • tourists
  • fans
  • insects
  • weeds
  • noise
  • thoughts

Adverbs

Phrases

  • invade someone's privacy
  • invade someone's space
  • invade a market
  • invade a country

Prepositions

  • by (passive agent)
  • with (instrument/means)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Invade comes from the Latin verb 'invadere', formed from 'in-' (into) and 'vadere' (to go). It entered English through Old French 'invader' in the late 15th century. The original military meaning — to enter a territory by force — is the earliest; the figurative uses for overrunning places or intruding on privacy developed over the following centuries.