我们熟悉的 road 在古英语时指骑马，与 ride (骑) 和 raid (突袭) 同源。所以，今天要说的 GRE词汇 inroad /'ɪnrəʊd/ 最初指骑马入侵 (invade)。

经词义演变后，虽然 inroad 还保留着原来的贬义，但大部分时候，用作褒义。

词义

根据牛津在线词典，inroad 指进展 (progress) 和攻击 (attack)，常与介词 into 或 on/ upon 搭配。

Their products are already making inroads into the American markets.他们的产品成功进入了美国市场。The euro has already made inroads into the dollar's territory.欧元已经在侵蚀美元的版图了。Scientists are making inroads into the fight against cancer.科学家们正在对抗癌症的斗争中取得突破。Women with keen intelligent minds are making inroads in formerly male-dominated occupations.具有敏锐心智的女子正在进入以前男性占绝对优势的职业中。The rise of online streaming services has made considerable inroads into traditional television viewership.在线流媒体服务的兴起对传统电视观众产生了相当大的影响。The long illness made serious inroads upon his savings.他长期患病使他耗去许多积蓄。We have not been able to make much of an inroad into the backlog of work.我们没能在积压的工作上取得太多进展。

近义

Inroad 近义词按难度级别由低到高：

中学

progress /'prɑːgres/：进展

advance /əd'væns/：前进

breakthrough /'breɪkθru:/：突破

capture /'kæptʃər/：夺取

occupation /ɑːkjʊ'peɪʃn/：占领

四六级

improvement /ɪmpru:vmənt/：改善

progression /prə'greʃn/：发展

advancement /əd'vænsmənt/：前进

annexation /ænek'seɪʃn/：吞并

seizure /'si:ʒər/：夺取

出国

headway /'hedweɪ/：前进

takeover /'teɪkəʊvər/：收购

foray /'fɔ:reɪ/：涉足，初次尝试

无级别

betterment /'betərmənt/：改善

sortie /'sɔ:rtɪ/：尝试参与

影视

△Fast & Furious (《速度与激情4》2009)

名著

以下文字摘自《呼啸山庄》(Wuthering Heights) 第27章，这里的 the inroads of hours 指时间的推进，生命终结的步步紧逼。

Seven days glided away, every one marking its course by the henceforth rapid alteration of Edgar Linton's state. The havoc that months had previously wrought was now emulated by the inroads of hours. Catherine, we would fain have deluded yet: but her own quick spirit refused to delude her: it divined in secret, and brooded on the dreadful probability, gradually ripening into certainty.

七天很快地过去了，埃德加·林惇的病情每一天都在急剧发展。前几个月已经使他垮下来，如今更是一小时一小时地在恶化。我们还想瞒住凯瑟琳；但她的机灵可是骗不过她自己；她暗自揣度着，深思着那可怕的可能性，而那可能性已渐渐地成熟为必然性了。