intrusive

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/ɪnˈtruːsɪv/
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An adjective for something that invades personal or mental boundaries, or, in geology, for igneous rock formed below the surface.

Examples

  • The interview questions felt too intrusive.
  • The therapist explained that intrusive thoughts can be unwanted and distressing.
  • The app asks for intrusive permissions.
  • His intrusive comments made everyone uncomfortable.
  • She found the constant messages intrusive.

Similar words

emplaced
unwanted
interfering
plutonic
invasive
underground
involuntary
unwelcome
distressing
meddlesome

Meanings

Unwanted or interfering

adjective
everyday
neutral
Unwelcome, too personal, or interfering with someone's privacy, space, time, or attention.

Examples

  • The interview questions felt too intrusive.
  • She found the constant messages intrusive.
  • The app asks for intrusive permissions.
  • His intrusive comments made everyone uncomfortable.
  • The new camera system seemed intrusive to residents.

Similar words

Unwanted thought or memory

adjective
medical
technical
Describing a thought, image, memory, or impulse that enters the mind unwanted and may feel distressing or hard to dismiss.

Examples

  • He struggled with intrusive thoughts after the accident.
  • An intrusive memory kept returning at night.
  • The therapist explained that intrusive thoughts can be unwanted and distressing.
  • She tried not to judge herself for an intrusive idea.
  • The sound triggered an intrusive image from the past.

Similar words

Formed below the surface

adjective
technical
technical
In geology, describing igneous rock or a body of magma that forms below Earth's surface by pushing into existing rock and cooling there.

Examples

  • Granite is often an intrusive igneous rock.
  • The map shows an intrusive body cutting through older layers.
  • Slow cooling underground can form intrusive rocks with visible crystals.
  • A dike is one type of intrusive rock formation.
  • The geologist studied the intrusive contact between the two rocks.

Similar words

Etymology

From intrude, from Latin intrudere, formed from in- and trudere, to thrust or push. The basic idea is pushing in or entering uninvited, which extended to behavior, thoughts, and geology.

FAQ

What does intrusive mean?

It means unwelcome, too personal, or interfering. In geology it also describes igneous rock formed below the surface.

What is an intrusive question?

It is a question that feels too personal or invades someone's privacy.

What are intrusive thoughts?

They are unwanted thoughts, images, memories, or impulses that enter the mind and may feel distressing.

Is intrusive always negative?

In everyday use it is usually negative. In geology it is a neutral technical term.

What is intrusive rock?

Intrusive rock is igneous rock formed when magma cools and solidifies below Earth's surface.

What is the opposite of intrusive?

Possible opposites include unobtrusive, discreet, respectful, and, in geology, extrusive.

How do you use intrusive in a sentence?

For example: The interview questions felt too intrusive.

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