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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
Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026
Parias did not have any criminal history or infraction before the incident where he was shot, Hellerstein said.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 20 June 2026
Other leagues have a collective-bargaining agreement in which rules and infractions are agreed upon in collaboration with the players.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Throughout, Wallach has accrued dozens of infractions in USDA inspection reports, some the agency considered serious.
—Katie Surma, Sun Sentinel, 19 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 24 Jun. 2026.
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infraction
noun
