transgression

noun

trans·​gres·​sion tran(t)s-ˈgre-shən How to pronounce transgression (audio)
tranz-
: an act, process, or instance of transgressing: such as
a
: infringement or violation of a law, command, or duty
b
: the spread of the sea over land areas and the consequent unconformable deposit of sediments on older rocks

Examples of transgression in a Sentence

acts that are transgressions against the laws of civilized societies everywhere a dying woman asking for divine forgiveness for a lifetime of transgressions
Recent Examples on the Web Most are the kind of youthful transgressions that could happen to anyone. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024 In fact, in each tournament the top of the leaderboards were reserved for strategies that leaned more heavily into pre-emptive cooperation and forgiveness of past transgressions. Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 The transgressions among Colts players have been wide-ranging. Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Jan. 2024 The transgression could be traced back to the par-three fourth hole at Riviera Country Club, when Spieth tapped home for his first bogey of the day. Jack Bantock, CNN, 20 Feb. 2024 Trouble is, Gore, Kerry, Obama and Clinton were not guilty of the above transgressions. Paul Waldman, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024 Moreover, the world has grown accustomed to his outrageous statements and decisions, making individual transgressions feel less shocking and less crucial to resist. Arancha González Laya, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2024 Well, the recruiting transgressions were meaningless because the players are now paid and, unlike with baseball’s Houston Astros, the sign-stealing scandal was overblown because teams have been monitoring the opposition’s signs in similar ways for years. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Almost on a whim, Paul accepts, and small transgressions soon give way to larger ones. The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'transgression.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of transgression was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near transgression

Cite this Entry

“Transgression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transgression. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

transgression

noun
trans·​gres·​sion tran(t)s-ˈgresh-ən How to pronounce transgression (audio)
tranz-
: an act, process, or example of transgressing

More from Merriam-Webster on transgression

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