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
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
The suit accuses the former clerk of violating Murdaugh’s right to a fair trial and seeks punitive and compensatory damages, as well as $600,000 of attorneys’ fees.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
The challengers had argued that the rules violated the Administrative Procedures Act, a federal statute that governs how federal agencies can draft and enact new rules and regulations.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The owner of Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall is asking a federal judge for immediate release from ICE custody, arguing the agency violated his rights by leaving him in Orange County jail a week after his immigration hold was supposed to lapse.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for violate
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Verb
The vast majority of those funds have come from a political action committee backed by Airbnb, which Feldstein Soto sued last year for violating price-gouging laws in the wake of the wildfires.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
The suit accuses the former clerk of violating Murdaugh’s right to a fair trial and seeks punitive and compensatory damages, as well as $600,000 of attorneys’ fees.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
The challengers had argued that the rules violated the Administrative Procedures Act, a federal statute that governs how federal agencies can draft and enact new rules and regulations.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
The owner of Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall is asking a federal judge for immediate release from ICE custody, arguing the agency violated his rights by leaving him in Orange County jail a week after his immigration hold was supposed to lapse.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for violate
Cite this Entry
“Violate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violate. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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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