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
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irruption
Premodern mysticism was not concerned with the predictable or the probable, but with the opposite: with moments of irruption, of disabling wonder.
—
Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
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
Chandler Fritz, The New York Review of Books, 21 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irruption
Noun
-
In the past year there have been 12 drone incursions at New York State prisons, including in March when a drone dropped contraband into the yard of a correctional facility.—
Pat Ryan,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In April 2025, North Korea and Russia announced that their soldiers fought together to repel a Ukraine incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Pitch invasions, punches thrown (allegedly) and promotion by a whisker in the 103rd minute.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Italian culture minister Alessandro Giuli will not attend the opening of the Venice Biennale as a protest against the Russian Pavilion, which marks the country’s return to the exhibition following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
He is stripped of his business license, faces police raids and arrests, and is forced to shut down the testing centre.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The studio reportedly believes that 30% of the footage from the lost third act could be used in a sequel, including a police raid on Michael's Neverland Ranch.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irruption. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
