infringe

verb

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in·fringe | \ in-ˈfrinj

infringed; infringing

Definition of infringe

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

Other Words from infringe Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about infringe

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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 As such, Mail on Sunday did infringe on her copyright of the letter by publishing it. — Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, "Meghan Markle’s Latest Court Win Is A Gamechanger," 7 May 2021 Mandates from a small corporate office, the company wrote, would infringe upon the autonomy that has helped those businesses thrive under Berkshire’s ownership. — Justin Baer, WSJ, "Warren Buffett Faces Impatient Investors as Berkshire Hathaway Returns Decline," 30 Apr. 2021 Extremely family oriented, Lively and Reynolds take strides to ensure that their public images don’t infringe upon the lives of their daughters. — Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, "Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Take a Sweet Stroll in NYC," 29 Apr. 2021 Councilmember Tom Durham, who is a retired lawyer, also addressed religious freedom, saying the ordinance does not infringe on First Amendment rights. — Renata Cló, The Arizona Republic, "Scottsdale becomes 8th Arizona city to provide LGBTQ protections," 21 Apr. 2021 The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in 1995 that keeping the jurors' identities under wraps did not infringe on Bowles' right to an impartial jury or his right to be presumed innocent, and set out rules for future anonymous juries. — Steve Karnowski, Star Tribune, "EXPLAINER: Chauvin jury could stay anonymous for a long time," 21 Apr. 2021 Jackson called religious liberty a foundational tenet of our government and that the Supreme Court has made clear that government can't infringe on religious rights. — Adia Robinson, ABC News, "GOP senators grill potential Biden Supreme Court pick," 28 Apr. 2021 Submission must not have won any previous award that may be in conflict with this Search, and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. — TIME.com, "Terms and Conditions: TIME’s 2021 Best Inventions Search," 26 Apr. 2021 These are real people having real therapy with a real therapist and filming the show can’t infringe on that dynamic any more than absolutely necessary. — Tony Bradley, Forbes, "How ‘Couples Therapy’ Used Technology To Cope With Covid-19," 18 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infringe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near infringe

in/from the depths of someone's heart/soul/being

in front

Statistics for infringe

Last Updated

17 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Infringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infringe. Accessed 18 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for infringe

infringe

verb

English Language Learners Definition of infringe

: to do something that does not obey or follow (a rule, law, etc.)

: to wrongly limit or restrict (something, such as another person's rights)

See the full definition for infringe in the English Language Learners Dictionary

infringe

verb

in·fringe | \ in-ˈfrinj

infringed; infringing

Kids Definition of infringe

1 : to fail to obey or act in agreement with : violate infringe a law

2 : to go further than is right or fair to another : encroach

infringe

verb

in·fringe | \ in-ˈfrinj

infringed; infringing

Legal Definition of infringe

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