infringement

noun

in·​fringe·​ment in-ˈfrinj-mənt 

1

: the act of infringing : violation

2

: an encroachment or trespass on a right or privilege

Synonyms

• violation
• offence

Examples of infringement in a Sentence

any government action limiting freedom of speech is an infringement of the U.S. Constitution

Recent Examples on the Web

The company recently rolled out Sora 2, its most advanced video generation model, which ran into immediate copyright infringement issues and drew criticism after it was used to create deepfakes of historical figures including Martin Luther King Jr. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2025

Deckers filed its lawsuit in 2023, alleging infringement of three Ugg shoes based on trade dress, as well as one patent claim. —Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025

Rahmani said disgorgement is not common in most cases, but it is seen in copyright infringement cases. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

In response to the news, RR Auction, the company handling the sale, warned Kobek and Byrne against publishing the text, threatening legal action for interference and copyright infringement. —Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for infringement

• impingement

Legal Definition

infringement

noun

in·​fringe·​ment

: the act or an instance of infringing

especially : the unauthorized use of copyrighted or patented material or of a trademark, trade name, or trade dress see also equivalent, fair use

Note: Infringement of a trademark, trade name, or trade dress involves use of one by the infringer that is the same as that of the owner or so similar that it is likely to deceive or to cause confusion or mistake on the part of the average purchaser. Infringement of a copyright involves the copying of a material and substantial portion of the protected work. If the alleged infringer denies copying, the copyright holder may be able to prove infringement with circumstantial evidence of the infringer's access to the protected work and of similarities between the two works.