Synonyms of transgress

transgress

verb

tran(t)s-ˈgres 

1

as in to trespass

to commit an offense

I didn't realize I was transgressing when I told your sister she looked like she had lost weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• trespass
• fall
• wander
• offend
• sin
• err
• stray
• violate
• fall from grace
• infringe
• break the law
• breach
• lapse
• break
• backslide
• mess up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• justify
• forgive
• pardon
• regret
• repent
• rue

2

as in to violate

to fail to keep

don't even think about transgressing the drug laws of that Asian country, for punishments are severe and there's nothing that our government can do to intervene

Synonyms & Similar Words

• violate
• break
• contravene
• offend
• breach
• disobey
• infringe (on or upon)
• fracture
• ignore
• traduce
• flout
• disregard
• neglect
• rebel
• resist
• overlook
• defy
• pass over
• slight
• dismiss
• blow off
• withstand
• tune out
• wink (at)
• brush (off)
• scorn
• shrug off
• pooh-pooh
• overpass

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• follow
• obey
• observe
• comply (with)
• conform (to)
• serve
• mind
• submit (to)
• yield (to)
• hear
• attend
• listen (to)
• notice
• watch
• regard
• mark
• note
• surrender (to)
• defer (to)
• heed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of transgress

Marilyn Monroe was one of the most photographed women of her era, but Douglas Kirkland’s photojournalistic style captured the actress’s spontaneous side, transgressing the boundaries of celebrity photography. — Michael Soncin, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026

The film transgresses time to show how greed, faith, desire and the hunger for meaning repeat themselves. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026

He’s gone beyond transgressing political and presidential norms to openly trampling on the Constitution. — Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025

Nothing about the Commission's proceedings, moreover, transgressed the Seventh Amendment's jury trial guarantee. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025