violation

noun

ˌvī-ə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce violation (audio)
Definition of violationnext
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code in colonial times blasphemy was considered a serious civil violation that merited harsh punishment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in infringement
a failure to uphold the requirements of law, duty, or obligation a military action that must be regarded as a violation of the treaty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rape
the act of forcing a person to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse war crimes include the violation of civilians

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of violation Oliver worked inside one of America's largest background check companies and watched applicants get screened out for fishing license violations. — Laurel Donnellan, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 Immigration violations are a civil matter, as a criminal court does not have jurisdiction over such issues. — Alexandra Duggan, Idaho Statesman, 21 July 2026 His violations were so numerous and egregious, a court revoked Huckabay’s ability to register and title a boat in the state, according to the FWC. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026 According to the report, there was a complaint made in November 2025 regarding Giddens and a potential ethics violation. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for violation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for violation
  1. crime
  2. infringement
  3. rape
  4. sin
  5. breach
  6. assault
  7. felony
  8. trespass
Noun
  • Michael was arrested two days later, per Denver TV station KUSA, and charged with first-degree murder, use of a weapon in a violent crime, theft of $100 to $500, and abuse of a corpse.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of dwelling on the crime, the owners decided to respond with humor, posting the video on Instagram with a mock 0-star review for the burglary crew.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • Since the search giant doesn’t license all the content in the knowledge box, Google could risk future lawsuits if the act of algorithmically creating the knowledge box without licenses suddenly becomes viewed as infringement, Rose said.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026
  • For its part, bigger unlisted DJI, a maker of cameras as well as its flagship drones, is reportedly suing Insta360 for patent infringement.
    — Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of infringement
Noun
  • What comes next, though the narrator continues to use us rather than I, is clearly an account of frequent marital rape.
    — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
  • The execution of Duckett, a former police officer who was convicted of the 1987 rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, was scheduled for noon Eastern, according to the outlets.
    — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Definition of rape
Noun
  • In the film, however, Odysseus’s falsehoods have dire consequences, an apparent reflection of the biblical assertion that false witness is a sin.
    — Luis Parrales, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • Drawing from Baldwin’s own experiences, the novel explores a young man’s spiritual and personal awakening while examining the lasting impact of history, sin, and love.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 24 July 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • The appellate court found that standing to sue requires a showing of actual harm — for instance, unauthorized access to or use of the data or a security breach of the system, the Legislature noted.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026
  • Craig’s pre-planned time off from the Today show comes after an unsettling exchange amid a security breach at 30 Rockefeller Center on July 16.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Definition of breach
Noun
  • Prosecutors have charged the 15-year-old with one count each of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
    — Joe Kottke, NBC news, 31 July 2026
  • There was no autopsy — only a physical examination that showed no evidence of defensive wounds or assault.
    — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of assault
Noun
  • The felony second-degree assault by strangulation charge was added by the district attorney’s office after a forensic examination by a nurse at Anschutz Medical Center.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 28 July 2026
  • Elijah Bieniemy, 27, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside of a dwelling.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
Definition of felony
Noun
  • Because Hostin had no criminal history and cooperated with officers, police said he was issued a summons for trespass and released.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
  • Andrew Truelove, 41, was charged with hate crimes burglary and menacing, as well as criminal trespass and harassment after allegedly swinging at Melvin Thursday morning.
    — Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
Definition of trespass

Browse Nearby Words

violating
violation
violations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Violation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violation. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on violation

Nglish: Translation of violation for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All