irruption
noun
ir·rup·tion
i-ˈrəp-shən
plural irruptions
: an act or instance of irrupting: such as
a
: a sudden, violent, or forcible entry : a rushing or bursting in
… the assassination still feels like a primal catastrophe—an irruption of inexplicable evil as horrifying as any supernatural bogeyman.—Ross Douthat
b
: a sudden and violent invasion
… begins not with Hitler's attack on Poland, but with the Japanese irruption into Outer Mongolia in July 1939…—John Gooch
c
ecology
: a sudden sharp increase in the relative numbers of a natural population usually associated with favorable alteration of the environment
The owl's appearance came during an irruption, a huge southward migration of snowy owls from their arctic territories that, this year, followed a successful breeding period.—Scott Carroll
Cite this Entry
“Irruption.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irruption. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share