invade
gb/ɪnvˈeɪd/ us/ɪnvˈeɪd/
B2
English
~ 10000
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
enter a country by military force
To enter another country with soldiers in order to fight and control it.
Usage pattern:
to invade [a country/territory]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "invade into a country" or "invade to a country". The correct pattern is "invade a country" without a preposition. Also, "invade" is usually used for large, organized forces, not for individual people in everyday arguments.
Synonyms
attack (More general; does not always suggest entering and taking control of land, while "invade" strongly implies crossing into another area.)
Antonyms
withdraw (Refers to pulling soldiers out of an area, the opposite of sending them in to invade.)
Collocations
invade a country
|invade a territory
|invade a neighboring state
|troops invade
|plan to invade
|threaten to invade
Themes
war
|politics
|history
|law
Examples
- The army planned to invade the country at dawn.
- In 1939, German forces invaded Poland, starting the war in Europe.
- They feared that the powerful neighbor might invade their territory.
- Allies agreed that they would not invade the region without a clear mandate.
- He argued that the decision to invade was both illegal and unnecessary.
Learner examples
- The soldiers invaded the small country.
- In the film, aliens invade Earth.
- The king wanted to invade the land to the north.
- Many people died when the army invaded their city.
- The general said they would invade at night.
Verb
B2
action
2
intrude on privacy or personal space
To go into someone’s private life, space, or time in a way they do not want.
Usage pattern:
to invade [someone's privacy/personal space]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "invade to my privacy"; the correct pattern is "invade my privacy" with no preposition. They may also confuse "invade" with "interrupt", but "invade" suggests going too far into private areas, not just stopping an activity.
Synonyms
intrude on (Very close in meaning, but slightly softer; "invade" often sounds stronger and more negative.)
Antonyms
respect (To respect someone's privacy or space is the opposite of invading it.)
Collocations
invade someone's privacy
|invade your personal space
|invade her thoughts
|invade his life
|technology invades
|advertising invades
Themes
privacy
|relationships
|society
|communication
Examples
- Constant phone notifications invade our privacy and concentration.
- She felt the reporter's questions invaded her privacy.
- The loud tourists invaded his personal space on the train.
- He didn't want his work life to invade his time with family.
- They complained that security cameras were starting to invade their sense of privacy.
Learner examples
- The camera invades my privacy.
- Please do not invade my personal space.
- He felt the questions invaded his private life.
- I don't want my job to invade my free time.
- Social media can invade our privacy.
Verb
B2
action
3
enter a place in large numbers
To go into a place in a big group, in a way that is not wanted.
Usage pattern:
to invade [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this sense and say things like "students invaded the classroom" when they simply mean "entered". "Invade" should suggest that the number is large and that their presence is a problem or not welcome.
Synonyms
overrun (Suggests being filled or covered by too many people or things; "invade" highlights the unwanted entry more strongly.)
Antonyms
leave (To go out of a place, the basic opposite of going in and filling it.)
Collocations
tourists invade
|ants invade the kitchen
|weeds invade the garden
|mice invade houses
|fans invade the field
|insects invade
Themes
daily_life
|environment
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Each summer, tourists invade the small coastal town.
- Ants invaded the kitchen as soon as we left food out.
- Weeds quickly invaded the lawn after the heavy rain.
- Reporters invaded the lobby, waiting for a comment.
- After the game, excited fans invaded the pitch.
Learner examples
- In July, tourists invade the city.
- Ants invade our kitchen every spring.
- Weeds invade the garden in the summer.
- Fans invaded the field after the match.
- Mice invaded the house during the winter.
Verb
technical
C1
action
4
spread into and occupy something
To move into and spread through part of a body, place, or thing, usually in a harmful way.
Usage pattern:
to invade [tissue/an area]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this technical sense in casual contexts where a simpler verb like "enter" or "spread" is more natural. In medical or scientific writing, however, "invade" is preferred when something harmful spreads into tissue or an area.
Synonyms
penetrate (Focuses on entering; "invade" more strongly suggests spreading and taking over in a harmful way.)
Antonyms
recede (Describes a disease or harmful process moving back or becoming smaller, the opposite of invading further.)
Collocations
cells invade tissue
|cancer invades the lungs
|tumor invades nearby organs
|virus invades the body
|bacteria invade
|species invade new habitats
Themes
medicine
|science
|environment
|health
Examples
- The cancer had begun to invade the surrounding tissue.
- Once the virus invades the body, it multiplies rapidly.
- Doctors were concerned that the tumor might invade the nearby bone.
- Invasive plants can invade wetlands and destroy native habitats.
- The study shows how malignant cells invade healthy organs.
Learner examples
- The cancer invaded his lungs.
- The virus invades the body very fast.
- These plants invade the forest and kill other plants.
- The disease invaded many parts of her body.
- New fish invade the lake and change it.
Grammar
Dictionary form
invade
IPA
GB/ɪnvˈeɪd/
US/ɪnvˈeɪd/
Syllables & stress
in - vade (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (vade)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: invade
- 3rd Person Singular: invades
- Present Participle: invading
- Past: invaded
Word family
Expressions
invade someone's privacy
1/ɪnvˈeɪd sˈʌmwˌʌnz pɹˈaɪvəsi/
fixed phrase
go too far into someone’s private life
To look into or affect someone’s private life in a way they do not want or did not agree to.
Examples
- Publishing those photos without her consent clearly invaded her privacy.
- Many people feel that constant online tracking invades their privacy.
- He refused to answer, saying the question invaded his privacy.