• synonyms


See more synonyms for intrusive on Thesaurus.com
  1. tending or apt to intrude; coming without invitation or welcome: intrusive memories of a lost love.
  2. characterized by or involving intrusion.
  3. intruding; thrusting in.
  4. Geology.
    1. (of a rock) having been forced between preexisting rocks or rock layers while in a molten or plastic condition.
    2. noting or pertaining to plutonic rocks.
  5. Phonetics. excrescent(def 2).
Show More

Origin of intrusive

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at intrusion, -ive
Related formsin·tru·sive·ly, adverbin·tru·sive·ness, nounnon·in·tru·sive, adjectivenon·in·tru·sive·ly, adverbun·in·tru·sive, adjectiveun·in·tru·sive·ly, adverb


See more synonyms for intrusive on Thesaurus.com
1. annoying, bothersome, interfering, distracting, irksome, worrisome, troublesome, irritating, disturbing.

Examples from the Web for non-intrusive

Historical Examples

  • The internal body structure was visualized by using a simulation system similar to those utilized in non-intrusive surgery.

    The Civilization of Illiteracy

    Mihai Nadin

British Dictionary definitions for non-intrusive


  1. characterized by intrusion or tending to intrude
  2. (of igneous rocks) formed by intrusionCompare extrusive (def. 2)
  3. phonetics relating to or denoting a speech sound that is introduced into a word or piece of connected speech for a phonetic rather than a historical or grammatical reason, such as the (r) often pronounced between idea and of in the idea of it
Show More
Derived Formsintrusively, adverbintrusiveness, noun

Word Origin and History for non-intrusive



c.1400, from Latin intrus-, past participle stem of intrudere (see intrusion) + -ive. Related: Intrusively; intrusiveness.

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper