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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
Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
No infraction seems to escape him.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
The extracurriculars yielded matching roughing infractions, but neither side could convert during 4-on-4 action.
—Jason Cooke, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
But as anyone who’s sat through a Title IX meeting in the past ten years can tell you, that whole drunk student party infraction—let alone the grab—would have seen my guy on leave at best.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infraction
Cite this Entry
“Infraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infraction. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infraction
noun
