Standard Lemma guide

inroad

name · noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɪnɹəʊd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈɪnˌɹoʊd/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH1 N R OW2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A barangay of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An advance into enemy territory, an attempted invasion; an encroachment, an incursion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: also, figuratively

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: foray, inbreak, inbreaking, infall, raid

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Often followed by in, into, or on: initial progress made toward accomplishing a goal or solving a problem.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, plural-normally

Examples

  • Three weeks into it, I am finally beginning to make inroads on this project.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To make advances or incursions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To make an inroad into (something).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: invade

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

an encroachment or intrusion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • they made inroads in the United States market

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: trespass, encroachment, violation, intrusion, usurpation

7

noun

Meaning 7

an invasion or hostile attack

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: invasion

History

Etymology

The noun is derived from in + road (“(obsolete) act of riding on horseback; hostile ride against a particular area, raid”). The verb is derived from the noun.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Aramaic: מעלתא — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Aramaic: ܡܥܠܬܐ (maʿʿaltā) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Armenian: ասպատակ (aspatak) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Old Armenian: ասպատակ (aspatak) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Bulgarian: нашествие (našestvie) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • French: percée — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • French: incursion — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Georgian: თავდასხმა (tavdasxma) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • German: Einfall — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Ancient Greek: εἰσβολή (eisbolḗ) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Ancient Greek: ἐπιδρομή (epidromḗ) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Latin: dēcursiō — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Latin: ingressus — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: innfall — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: innfall — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Old English: infaru — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Russian: нае́зд (najézd) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Russian: наше́ствие (našéstvije) — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Serbo-Croatian: на̏језда — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • Serbo-Croatian: nȁjezda — advance into enemy territory — see also incursion
  • French: percée — initial progress made toward accomplishing a goal or solving a problem
  • French: avancée — initial progress made toward accomplishing a goal or solving a problem
  • French: pas en avant — initial progress made toward accomplishing a goal or solving a problem
  • Russian: прогре́сс (progréss) — initial progress made toward accomplishing a goal or solving a problem
  • Chinese Mandarin: 竄犯 /窜犯 (cuànfàn) — to make advances or incursions
  • Russian: вторга́ться (vtorgátʹsja) — to make advances or incursions
  • Russian: вто́ргнуться (vtórgnutʹsja) — to make advances or incursions