infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

transitive verb

1

: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another

infringe a patent

2

obsolete : defeat, frustrate

intransitive verb

: encroach

—used with on or upon

infringe on our rights

infringer noun

Synonyms of infringe

• violate
• break

Choose the Right Synonym for infringe

trespass, encroach, infringe, invade mean to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another.

trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion.

hunters trespassing on farmland

encroach suggests gradual or stealthy entrance upon another's territory or usurpation of another's rights or possessions.

the encroaching settlers displacing the native peoples

infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative.

infringing a copyright

invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another.

accused of invading their privacy

Examples of infringe in a Sentence

They claim that his use of the name infringes their copyright.

Her rights must not be infringed.

Recent Examples on the Web

The company is seeking at least $150,000 per each work infringed and for the court to block Udio from using its work to train its models. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 22 July 2026

In 2021, France’s highest court upheld a ruling that Koons’s 1988 sculpture Fait d’hiver, based on a 1985 advertisement by photographer Franck Davidovici, infringed the photographer’s copyright. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2026

The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft in 2023, alleging that the companies infringed on copyright by using its intellectual property to train models. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 21 July 2026

In a first, the University of Tennessee sued Anthropic for allegedly infringing two of its patents related to neural networks invented by its professors, Reuters reported. — Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- + frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for infringe

• impinge
• syringe
• binge
• cringe
• fringe
• hinge
• singe
• tinge
• twinge

Kids Definition

infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

1

: to fail to obey or act in agreement with : violate

infringe a treaty

2

: encroach sense 1

infringe on a person's rights

infringement

-mənt

noun

infringer noun

Legal Definition

infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

transitive verb

: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another

the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed

—U.S. Constitution amend. II

especially : to violate a holder's rights under (a copyright, patent, trademark, or trade name)

intransitive verb

: encroach

infringer noun

Etymology

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- in + frangere to break