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.
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
Aziza remains an interloper, both in the drama and in this house.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2025
Some allies and supporters of the president view Musk as an interloper and a recent convert who does not share the same views as the MAGA movement on certain issues, as evidenced by a recent spat over H-1B visas.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 30 Jan. 2025
So will Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, which finds the director — once an indie interloper, now an industry veteran — re-creating the Los Angeles of his youth and using a story of a friendship, aging, and insecurity to reflect on a moment of tremendous change in film history.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Capys, who are often suspicious of interlopers like me, can also be unfriendly with members of their own species who are not part of their family group.
—Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for interloper
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Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2025
Some allies and supporters of the president view Musk as an interloper and a recent convert who does not share the same views as the MAGA movement on certain issues, as evidenced by a recent spat over H-1B visas.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 30 Jan. 2025
So will Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood, which finds the director — once an indie interloper, now an industry veteran — re-creating the Los Angeles of his youth and using a story of a friendship, aging, and insecurity to reflect on a moment of tremendous change in film history.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Capys, who are often suspicious of interlopers like me, can also be unfriendly with members of their own species who are not part of their family group.
—Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for interloper
Cite this Entry
“Interloper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interloper. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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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