encroach

Universal Words upon sth( )formal( 1 )disapproving( to begin to affect or use up too much of sb's time, rights, personal life, etc: I won't encroach on your time any longer. * He never allows work to encroach upon his family life. 2 to slowly begin to cover more and more of an area: The growing town soon encroached on the surrounding countryside. * the encroaching tide )= that is coming in( encroachment noun [U,C] ~ )on / upon sth(: the regime's many encroachments on human rights