invade
UK: ɪnˈveɪd | US: ɪnˈveɪd
vt. to enter forcefully as an enemy; to intrude upon
vt. to encroach or infringe upon (rights, privacy, etc.)
vt. (of diseases, ideas, etc.) to spread harmfully
The word "invade" originates from Latin invadere, combining in- (into) and vadere (to go). The root vad- also appears in "evade" (to go away) and "pervade" (to go through). Historically, it described military forces entering territory aggressively, later expanding metaphorically to ideas, diseases, or intrusions. The logic is straightforward: "going into" a space uninvited, whether physically or abstractly.
The army planned to invade at dawn.
Tourists sometimes invade the privacy of local residents.
Weeds invaded the garden after the rain.
The virus can invade the body through open wounds.
Negative thoughts invaded her mind during the exam.