as in incursion
a sudden attack on and entrance into hostile territory
the irruptions of the Goths into Italy in the fifth century
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irruption
Central to this tumultuous state of affairs was the irruption of graffiti that took the city by surprise starting sometime in the late 1960s as new products like spray-paint and permanent markers were made easily available.
—
Antonio Sergio Bessa, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025
Orwell narrowed it down to the Edwardian era — 1901 to 1919 — long before the irruptions of two world wars and the Great Depression.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
This is the largest owl irruption in Minnesota in two decades.
—Dan Kraker, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025
An irruption is a sudden change in population density.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2023
What is an irruption?
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 22 Nov. 2022
Antonio Sergio Bessa, Curbed, 20 Oct. 2025
Orwell narrowed it down to the Edwardian era — 1901 to 1919 — long before the irruptions of two world wars and the Great Depression.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
This is the largest owl irruption in Minnesota in two decades.
—Dan Kraker, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025
An irruption is a sudden change in population density.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2023
What is an irruption?
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 22 Nov. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irruption
Noun
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Administration officials and Republican lawmakers have argued the buildup is about maintaining leverage and flexibility rather than signaling an imminent incursion, with the White House emphasizing that planning for ground options does not mean a decision to deploy troops has been made.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Their voices have only gotten louder as talk of a ground incursion has picked up.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The potential ground operation would reportedly fall short of a full-scale invasion but could involve raids by a mixture of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the officials were quoted as saying.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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In retaliation for a ground invasion, Iran’s Houthi allies in Yemen could attack ships in the Red Sea, halting the flow of oil and cargo via a route that’s been used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Grainy security video distributed by police after the raid appeared to show three people opening a museum door with a large crowbar, after which an explosion is seen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Perhaps the most significant victory for Walmart is its successful raid on the high-income demographic.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irruption. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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