vi·o·late
ˈvī-ə-ˌlāt 
violated; violating
2
: to do harm to the person or especially the chastity of
specifically
: rape sense 1
3
: to fail to show proper respect for : profane
violate a shrine
Examples of violate in a Sentence
Verb
He was arrested for violating his parole.
The company violated its customers' privacy.
She was attacked and violated by an unknown intruder.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
The coalition argues Cox was sent numerous notices of specific IP addresses repeatedly violating music copyrights and that Cox's failure to terminate those IP addresses from internet access means that Cox should face the music.
—Alyssa Kapasi, NPR, 1 Dec. 2025
But critics argue the arrests violate due process and punish immigrants who are following the rules by showing up for court proceedings and asking for a legal pathway to stay in the country.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
Magill, in response to a question from the New York Republican Elise Stefanik, seemed unwilling to say that a call for the genocide of the Jewish people would unambiguously violate her university’s code of conduct.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for violate
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Verb
Now, in a trial that is expected to last more than two weeks, a six-person jury will decide whether NASCAR abused that power in a way that violated antitrust laws.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
The coalition argues Cox was sent numerous notices of specific IP addresses repeatedly violating music copyrights and that Cox's failure to terminate those IP addresses from internet access means that Cox should face the music.
—Alyssa Kapasi, NPR, 1 Dec. 2025
But critics argue the arrests violate due process and punish immigrants who are following the rules by showing up for court proceedings and asking for a legal pathway to stay in the country.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025
Magill, in response to a question from the New York Republican Elise Stefanik, seemed unwilling to say that a call for the genocide of the Jewish people would unambiguously violate her university’s code of conduct.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for violate
Cite this Entry
“Violate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violate. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
violate
transitive verb
vi·o·late
ˈvī-ə-ˌlāt
violated; violating
: to go against (as a prohibition or principle) : fail to observe or respect
violate a law
civil rights were violated
violate due process
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