infringe

1 of 2

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

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

infringer noun

infringer

2 of 2

noun

in·​fring·​er

-jə(r)

plural -s

: one that infringes

infringer of a patent

Synonyms of infringe

Verb

• violate
• break

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

Verb

They claim that his use of the name infringes their copyright.

Her rights must not be infringed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Data from several streaming providers showed that infringing files identified by the government had been accessed more than 8 million times as of November 2025. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Data provided by streaming providers showed that by November 2025, the infringing songs had been accessed more than eight million times and the amount of the files is estimated to be at least $750,000. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026

Infringing on human rights Monitoring how governments comply with the cybercrime convention is critical to ensuring that governments do not infringe on human rights. — Mary Lind, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026

The conservative commentator argued that treating movies differently because of their subject matter infringed on filmmakers’ constitutional rights. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- + frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

Verb

1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for infringe

• impinge
• syringe
• binge
• cringe
• fringe
• hinge
• singe
• tinge
• twinge

Kids Definition

infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

1

: to fail to obey or act in agreement with : violate

infringe a treaty

2

: encroach sense 1

infringe on a person's rights

infringement

-mənt

noun

infringer noun

Legal Definition

infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

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

infringer noun

Etymology

Verb

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- in + frangere to break