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An infraction is usually the breaking of a law, rule, or agreement. So a nation charged with an infraction of an international treaty will usually have to pay a penalty. In Federal law, an infraction is even smaller than a misdemeanor, and the only penalty is a fine. Most of us occasionally commit infractions of parking laws and get ticketed; speeding tickets are usually for infractions as well, though they go on a permanent record and can end up costing you money for years to come. The closely related word infringement generally refers to a violation of a right or privilege; use of another's writings without permission, for example, may be an infringement of the copyright.
Examples of infraction in a Sentence
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 21 Nov. 2025
The committee on infractions said the three cases were not connected.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025
While chasing down Flacco, Watt delivered a heavy hit just after the ball was released and landed with most of his body weight on the 41-year-old quarterback — an infraction the NFL has emphasized all season.
—Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025
But Kyle Zawacki, legislative director of the ACLU of Michigan, pointed to the fact that a rules violation would result in a misdemeanor instead of a civil infraction.
—Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infraction
Cite this Entry
“Infraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infraction. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
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infraction
noun
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