invasive
adjective
in·va·sive
| \ in-ËvÄ-siv
, -ziv\
, -ziv\
Definition of invasive
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: tending to spread especially in a quick or aggressive manner: such as
a
of a nonnative organism
: growing and dispersing easily usually to the detriment of native species and ecosystems
It will be the second Australian insect released to thwart melaleuca, one of many exponentially spreading invasive plants that out-compete native Florida species, monopolizing wetlands and natural areas.— Neil Santaniello Scientists say more than 150 invasive species have entered the Great Lakes, multiplying rapidly and feeding on native species or outcompeting with them for food.— Sophia Taren
b(1)
of cancer cells
: tending to infiltrate surrounding healthy tissue
⊠this procedure preserves the architecture of the tissue sample, which is vital for determining whether tumor cells are invasive.— Andrew A. Skolnick
(2)
of a pathogenic microorganism or disease
: disseminating from a localized area throughout the body
sepsis association with invasive bacteria invasive streptococcal infection
2
: involving entry into the living body (as by incision or by insertion of an instrument)
invasive diagnostic techniques
3
: of, relating to, or characterized by military aggression
4
: tending to infringe
invasive
nounDefinition of invasive (Entry 2 of 2)
: an organism that is not native to the place where found and tends to grow and spread easily usually to the detriment of native species and ecosystems
Zebra mussels are the latest in a series of aquatic invasives to threaten Texas' inland waters.— Shannon Tompkins
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Examples of invasive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Carpe diem: In some good news for the Great Lakes, efforts to prevent the Asian carp, an invasive species that wreaks havoc on waterways, have largely worked, the Detroit Newsâ Leonard Fleming writes. — cleveland.com, "Attorneys are optimistic for opioid settlements in Midwest lawsuits: The Flyover," 29 Aug. 2019 As if all that werenât enough, the watermen are also competing with the blue catfish, an invasive species that eats crabs and just about anything else. — Washington Post, "Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are booming this year â so why are they still so expensive?," 26 July 2019 The islands also host tens of thousands of house mice â an invasive species that is wreaking havoc on the native ecosystem, according to biologists. — Laura Newberry, latimes.com, "The U.S. wants to dump 1.5 tons of rat poison on the Farallon Islands. Biologists say itâs for the best," 7 July 2019 Another invasive species, the Burmese python, is wreaking havoc in the Everglades because the big snakes eat almost anything and have no natural predators in the U.S. save for the occasional alligator. — Curt Anderson, orlandosentinel.com, "State declares open season on pesky South Florida iguanas," 3 July 2019 Northern Coloradoâs local governments are now banding together in an effort to do something about the American bullfrog, an invasive species that is hurting the native northern leopard frogâs chances of survival, on a regional scale. — Sam Lounsberry, The Denver Post, "Boulder County agencies fighting invasive American bullfrogs," 3 July 2019 In Florida, where Iguana iguana is an invasive species, the Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has declared open season on the creatures. — Ephrat Livni, Quartz, "Floridians are free to kill all green iguanas," 3 July 2019 During this time, an invasive species was introduced in order to stop the soil from eroding. — Lindsay Silberman, Town & Country, "The Best Room At...Six Senses Zil Pasyon," 13 Nov. 2018 Another minimally invasive procedure that has shown some benefit for chronic knee pain after surgery is the use of dorsal root ganglion, or DRG, stimulation. — Markus Bendel, sun-sentinel.com, "Although uncommon, some people have pain even after knee replacement surgery," 14 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'invasive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for invasive
invasive
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of invasive
: tending to spread
medical
: involving entry into the body by cutting or by inserting an instrument
See the full definition for invasive in the English Language Learners Dictionary
invasive
adjective
in·va·sive
| \ -siv, -ziv
\
\
Medical Definition of invasive
2
: involving entry into the living body (as by incision or by insertion of an instrument)
invasive diagnostic techniques