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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
Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
Fighting traffic tickets in Sacramento County is now easier with a new digital tool that allows residents to contest infractions without a trip to the courthouse.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 12 Dec. 2025
Philadelphia would catch a massive break in their overtime drive after Odafe Oweh was called for a neutral zone infraction on fourth-and-4, allowing a fresh set of downs on what could’ve been the game-ending play.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Crystal Robbins, a program manager with San Diego Fire-Rescue who works with high users of emergency services, said the system sometimes struggles to handle cases like Ed’s where there is a relentless impact on family members, but for infractions that the penal code categorizes as minor.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Dec. 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 14 Dec. 2025.
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infraction
noun
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