Synonyms of violation

violation

noun

ˌvī-ə-ˈlā-shən 

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

• crime
• sin
• felony
• breach
• trespass
• error
• wrongdoing
• transgression
• misdeed
• offense
• debt
• sinfulness
• lawbreaking
• misconduct
• infringement
• malefaction
• misdoing
• misdemeanor
• hate crime
• abuse
• misfeasance
• corruption
• fault
• bias crime
• illegality
• immorality
• foible
• unlawfulness
• criminality
• wickedness
• vice
• break
• iniquity
• licentiousness
• depravity
• debauchery
• peccadillo
• lawlessness
• iniquitousness
• downfall
• fall
• descent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocence
• blamelessness
• morality
• virtue
• impeccability
• noncrime
• righteousness
• goodness
• guiltlessness
• faultlessness
• irreproachability
• virtuousness

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

• infringement
• breach
• infraction
• contravention
• trespass
• transgression
• offense
• misdemeanor
• misconduct
• sin
• disregard
• ignoring
• invasion
• intrusion
• forgetting
• neglect
• wrong
• misfeasance
• delinquency
• encroachment
• nonobservance
• misprision
• overlooking
• dereliction

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• observance
• respecting
• noninfringement
• upholding

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

• rape
• assault
• sexual assault
• ravishment

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of violation

Following an investigation by the OSC, disciplinary measures for Hatch Act violations are determined by the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), an independent judicial agency within the Executive branch. — Connor Greene, Time, 1 Nov. 2026

The new reporting now gives the president more ammunition for the probe, which revolves around potential violations of federal laws that protect citizens’ rights to free and fair elections. — Josephine Murphy, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2026

Here are your weekly frightful violations at Kansas City-area restaurants — from leaky sinks to food kept in refrigerators longer than the health code says. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026

Per the report, there were 44 violations listed, including potentially hazardous food (PHF) items kept in the refrigerator, improper refrigeration of food and low chlorine in water systems. — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026