Did you know?
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
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
Last year, Porter improved his technique and trusted it, cutting the infractions nearly in half (nine flags, three declined and six accepted).
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Hart got in trouble for all sorts of infractions that didn’t seem like a big deal – showing up late to school, using his phone and eating in the hallways.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Also, if a player is shown a yellow or red card for an infraction committed by another player, VAR may intercede to make sure it’s given to the correct player.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 June 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 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infraction
noun
