- 1[intransitive] encroach (on/upon something) (disapproving) to begin to affect or use up too much of someone's time, rights, personal life, etc. I won't encroach on your time any longer. He never allows work to encroach upon his family life.
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- 2[intransitive] encroach (on/upon something) to slowly begin to cover more and more of an area The growing town soon encroached on the surrounding countryside.
encroach
verbNAmE//ɪnˈkroʊtʃ//
(formal)Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they encroach he / she / it encroaches
past simple encroached
-ing form encroaching
noun [uncountable, countable] encroachment (on/upon something) the regime's many encroachments on human rightsSee encroach in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: encroach