1
as in to break
to fail to keep
you've violated the company's rule against smoking within 30 feet of the building
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to desecrate
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
the invaders violated the temple by using it to stable their horses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of violate
In addition, explicit prohibitions on shooting at vehicles are largely absent from the law, which means that officers responsible for fatal shootings of drivers that appear to violate departmental policies still often escape criminal penalties.
—
Ben Jones, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
The audit listed multiple examples where the district’s actions may have discouraged fair competition and may have violated state law.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Like Guiffre and the other survivors, migrant women are also often violated and harmed under the pretense of employment, or for the mere opportunity to work.
—Mónica Ramírez, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
In addition to broader lawsuits claiming the tax is unconstitutional, taxpayers who leave before November could claim the retroactive date violates due process, according to attorneys.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for violate
Ben Jones, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
The audit listed multiple examples where the district’s actions may have discouraged fair competition and may have violated state law.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Like Guiffre and the other survivors, migrant women are also often violated and harmed under the pretense of employment, or for the mere opportunity to work.
—Mónica Ramírez, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
In addition to broader lawsuits claiming the tax is unconstitutional, taxpayers who leave before November could claim the retroactive date violates due process, according to attorneys.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for violate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for violate
Verb
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Joanna Gaines and Sydney Sweeney were even ahead of the game and broke theirs out back in October and November, respectively.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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This can break the pathways that allow fire to spread from one structure to the next.—
Amanda Hari,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Officials determined that a total of 26 underground vaults and mausoleums were broken into or desecrated from November 2025 until the day Gerlach was caught.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Nothing beats cuteness except watching violence be enacted upon the cuteness; like an aural Happy Tree Friends, Skulls tosses pom-poms of fuzz into the sky then desecrates them.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Anna is then raped while the girls—and her video camera—watch.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
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Boston man Barry Howze, a schizophrenic patient, allegedly evaded hospital staff and then raped the paralyzed woman in her hospital bed.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On the other hand, travelers who breach their visa terms—including staying past their visa authorization date—will forfeit the bond amount.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
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In the years following that announcement, Meta gradually reintroduced facial recognition technology, using it to detect scams involving public figures and to verify users’ identities after their accounts had been breached.—
Emily Wanderer,
Washington Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But the Red Sox destroyed and ended their relationship with their only true power hitter and proven winner for a player who, though an undeniably excellent addition, was here for 117 total games.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
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In the Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, flames burned for 31 days, scorching 37 square miles and destroying more than 6,000 structures, most of them homes.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The suspect beat the victim with a construction sign and then continued to assault the victim using the victim's bicycle.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Citizens have had their front doors blown out, been hit with pepper balls for praying outside government facilities, been wrongfully charged with assaulting agents, and have seen their identification papers dismissed as fake and thus grounds for detainment.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trump seems unconcerned that extorting his partners contravenes the principles of what was designed as a free-trade accord.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
11 Dec. 2025
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This bill would clearly contravene those decisions by mandating termination of US citizenship where an individual maintains another.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Their beautiful sanctuary has been defiled, and Emily is fired.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
18 Dec. 2025
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Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the center of ancient Judean worship, in 164 B.C.E. It had been defiled by the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes and was recaptured by Judean forces.—
Joshua Shanes,
The Conversation,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Violate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violate. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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