incursion

American  

[in-kur-zhuhn, -shuhn] / ɪnˈkɜr ʒən, -ʃən /

noun

1. a hostile entrance into or invasion of a place or territory, especially a sudden one; raid.

   The bandits made brief incursions on the village.

   Synonyms:

   attack, foray, sortie

2. a harmful inroad.

3. a running in.

   the incursion of sea water.

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incursion British  

/ ɪnˈkɜːsɪv, ɪnˈkɜːʃən /

noun

1. a sudden invasion, attack, or raid

2. the act of running or leaking into; penetration

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Other Word Forms

• incursive adjective

Etymology

Origin of incursion

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin incursiōn- (stem of incursiō ) raid, equivalent to incurs ( us ) (past participle of incurrere to incur ) + -iōn- -ion; excursion

Example Sentences

Chemaf’s founder, Shiraz Virji, son of a Zanzibar spice merchant, once hired dozens of Gurkhas, Nepalese soldiers with a reputation for fierceness, to guard one of the company’s mines against incursions by informal miners.

From The Wall Street Journal

The AEA allows the government to detain and deport citizens of hostile foreign nations in times of war or during an "invasion or predatory incursion."

From Barron's

It’s not the first time L.A. hospitality workers have pushed for protections from incursions by federal agents.

From Los Angeles Times

Completely marginalized during the administration’s Venezuela incursion, she was not even being invited to the White House Situation Room to observe the operation.

From Salon

Last month, Chad closed its border with Sudan "until further notice" to stop repeated incursions by Sudanese armed groups.

From BBC

Related Words

• aggression
• attack
• foray
• infiltration
• inroad
• intrusion
• penetration
• raid