infringe

verb

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 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

And one of the lessons of history is this: While elected majorities infringe upon liberty, so too do unelected judges. — Matthew Continetti, National Review, "The Conservative Sensibility Is George Will’s Definitive Declaration," 20 June 2019 Transferring liability for crimes from lawless criminals to the providers of lawful products would infringe on the basic rights of law-abiding citizens. — Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, "Kafer: Rep. Crow’s gun liability law makes a mockery of personal responsibility," 17 June 2019 But slowly but surely, our rights are being infringed upon. — Nicole Brodeur, The Seattle Times, "‘Queer Eye’ star Jonathan Van Ness kicks off Pride by officiating Seattle wedding," 5 June 2019 Parents and guardians should have the right to refuse vaccinations for religious, philosophical or personal reasons, and that right should be protected and not infringed, as with our other inalienable human rights. — WSJ, "We Must Vaccinate to Keep Diseases Defeated," 22 Feb. 2019 When the ban was first announced, Apple claimed to CNBC that iOS 12 — the most recent version of its software — does not infringe on those patents. — Jon Porter, The Verge, "Apple plans iPhone software update to reverse Chinese ban," 14 Dec. 2018 These bans fundamentally infringe upon a person’s right to bodily autonomy. — Glamour, "Abortion Bans Are a Call to Action—Not a Reason to Give Up," 29 Mar. 2019 The First Amendment bars the government from infringing on speech, not private companies, and Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media companies are free to enforce their content policies. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Trump keeps complaining about bias on Twitter — but what can he do about it? 8 experts weigh in.," 23 Aug. 2018 Supervisors have worried that the private development by Treasure Island Enterprises would infringe upon public recreation. — Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, "SF supes OK two for Police Commission, which now has a quorum," 5 June 2018

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

24 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for infringe

The first known use of infringe was in 1513

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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