interloper
noun
in·ter·lop·er
ˌin-tər-ˈlō-pər 
ˈin-tər-ˌlō-
: one that interlopes: such as
a
: one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity
b
: an illegal or unlicensed trader
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The History of Interloper
The -loper part of interloper is believed to be either from an English dialectal word meaning "leap" or from a Dutch word meaning "to run." (The prefix inter- means "between" or "among.") An interloper is essentially one that jumps into the midst of things without an invitation to do so.
Synonyms
Examples of interloper in a Sentence
I had hoped to help my neighbors, but they regarded me as an interloper.
summer residents were regarded as interlopers who had no deep commitment to the town's welfare
Recent Examples on the Web
But a sharp-eyed auto insurer felt something was off about the furry interloper.
—
Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
For one thing, Sweet Sue and the interlopers head by train not to Miami, but to California.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 24 Oct. 2024
But even if Lebanon remains riven by sectarian divisions and vulnerable to foreign interlopers, the risks and rewards of Hezbollah’s setback — no matter how temporary — present a tantalizing opportunity for a political revival and perhaps real national unity.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2024
Lacy is jealous of the demands on her mother’s attention and sometimes wages subtle warfare against the interlopers in their house by, say, using their shampoo.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for interloper 
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Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
For one thing, Sweet Sue and the interlopers head by train not to Miami, but to California.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 24 Oct. 2024
But even if Lebanon remains riven by sectarian divisions and vulnerable to foreign interlopers, the risks and rewards of Hezbollah’s setback — no matter how temporary — present a tantalizing opportunity for a political revival and perhaps real national unity.
—Matt Bradley, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2024
Lacy is jealous of the demands on her mother’s attention and sometimes wages subtle warfare against the interlopers in their house by, say, using their shampoo.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for interloper
Dictionary Entries Near interloper
Cite this Entry
“Interloper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interloper. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
interloper
noun
in·ter·lop·er
ˌint-ər-ˈlō-pər
ˈint-ər-ˌlō-pər
: a person who intrudes or interferes wrongly or meddlesomely
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