interloper
noun
in·ter·lop·er
ˌin-tər-ˈlō-pər 
ˈin-tər-ˌlō-
: one that interlopes: such as
a
: one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity
b
: an illegal or unlicensed trader
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The History of Interloper
The -loper part of interloper is believed to be either from an English dialectal word meaning "leap" or from a Dutch word meaning "to run." (The prefix inter- means "between" or "among.") An interloper is essentially one that jumps into the midst of things without an invitation to do so.
Synonyms
Examples of interloper in a Sentence
I had hoped to help my neighbors, but they regarded me as an interloper.
summer residents were regarded as interlopers who had no deep commitment to the town's welfare
Recent Examples on the Web
Cotten gives a gloriously moving and humane performance as the motorcar manufacturer seen by George as an unwanted interloper.
—
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
Comedian and host Conan O’Brien was named the newest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy on Thursday.
O’Brien, 61, has carved out an improbable decades-long career arc, moving from goofy television interloper to comedic elder statesman.
—Ashraf Khalil, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The Bannon-Musk spat underscores how some in Trump’s orbit question Musk’s staying power, viewing him as an interloper who only endorsed the president-elect after he was grazed by a bullet last July.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
Malone, meanwhile, isn’t tainted with interloper status for reasons known only to algorithms and public consumption.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for interloper 
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Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
Comedian and host Conan O’Brien was named the newest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for lifetime achievement in comedy on Thursday.
O’Brien, 61, has carved out an improbable decades-long career arc, moving from goofy television interloper to comedic elder statesman.
—Ashraf Khalil, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The Bannon-Musk spat underscores how some in Trump’s orbit question Musk’s staying power, viewing him as an interloper who only endorsed the president-elect after he was grazed by a bullet last July.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
Malone, meanwhile, isn’t tainted with interloper status for reasons known only to algorithms and public consumption.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for interloper
Dictionary Entries Near interloper
Cite this Entry
“Interloper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interloper. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
interloper
noun
in·ter·lop·er
ˌint-ər-ˈlō-pər
ˈint-ər-ˌlō-pər
: a person who intrudes or interferes wrongly or meddlesomely
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