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

Of particular relevance is the copyright chapter of the Code of Practice on General-Purpose AI Models, developed with stakeholders and approved by the Commission, which includes commitments to respect opt-out mechanisms and reduce the risk of copyright-infringing outputs. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 15 May 2026

In 1977, the Justices rejected Nixon’s claim that the previous version of the Presidential Records Act violated the separation of powers and infringed executive privilege. —Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 14 May 2026

The court said the ban infringed on the free speech rights of a Christian counselor. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 13 May 2026

Companies will test the boundaries Boyden speculated that offering different prices based on how much a customer uses a service, or advertising in particular ways to entice customers who are more likely to infringe, might constitute tailoring a service for piracy. —ArsTechnica, 11 May 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