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An infraction is usually the breaking of a law, rule, or agreement. So a nation charged with an infraction of an international treaty will usually have to pay a penalty. In Federal law, an infraction is even smaller than a misdemeanor, and the only penalty is a fine. Most of us occasionally commit infractions of parking laws and get ticketed; speeding tickets are usually for infractions as well, though they go on a permanent record and can end up costing you money for years to come. The closely related word infringement generally refers to a violation of a right or privilege; use of another's writings without permission, for example, may be an infringement of the copyright.
Examples of infraction in a Sentence
Jesse Newell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Crossing the border and being undocumented in the United States generally is a civil infraction, not a criminal one.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
But what seems like a minor infraction many years ago could be a stumbling block.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
The four drivers were cited for infractions including a broken headlight, no insurance, speeding and no seatbelt.
—Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infraction
Cite this Entry
“Infraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infraction. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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infraction
noun
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