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
Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 11 Jan. 2026
That was the case on Wednesday, where the fatal shooting began as someone blocking a public road, generally an infraction of interest to police officers, who are trained to know the difference between impeding something and vociferously protesting against it.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
In others, searches were conducted after infractions as minor as a missing license plate.
—Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 10 Jan. 2026
The costliest penalty of all was a Xavier Lucas borderline targeting infraction that gave the Rebels a first down at the UM 22.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 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 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infraction
noun
Share