infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

transitive verb

1

: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another

infringe a patent

2

obsolete : defeat, frustrate

intransitive verb

: encroach

—used with on or upon

infringe on our rights

infringer noun

Synonyms

• breach
• break
• contravene
• fracture
• offend
• traduce
• transgress
• violate

Choose the Right Synonym for infringe

trespass, encroach, infringe, invade mean to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another.

trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion.

hunters trespassing on farmland

encroach suggests gradual or stealthy entrance upon another's territory or usurpation of another's rights or possessions.

the encroaching settlers displacing the native peoples

infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative.

infringing a copyright

invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another.

accused of invading their privacy

Examples of infringe in a Sentence

They claim that his use of the name infringes their copyright.

Her rights must not be infringed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Oakland International Airport officials said in a statement to The Times the renaming does not infringe on SFO’s registered trademark. —Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024

In their defense, the AI companies targeted with copyright infringement suits have claimed fair use, arguing that the training process is transformative of the input and therefore not infringing under prevailing legal precedents. —Paul Sweeting, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024

Local governments using their power to ban or restrict personal or economic freedom are, at the end of the day, infringing on personal and economic freedom. —The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 5 Apr. 2024

The lawsuit posits that the CTA unlawfully infringes upon state sovereignty in the realm of corporate entity regulation. —Matthew Erskine, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act lets artists like Bad Bunny file takedown requests to online platforms like YouTube, requiring the site to pull down the allegedly infringing material. —Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 15 Mar. 2024

The acquisition comes less than a year after RED’s lawsuit against Nikon for infringing on its video compression patents was dismissed. —Jon Porter, The Verge, 7 Mar. 2024

Are lawmakers infringing on the property rights of the developers? —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024

The Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) has issued an open letter condemning the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to infringe upon and devalue the rights of artists. —Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- + frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

1

: to fail to obey or act in agreement with : violate

infringe a treaty

2

: encroach sense 1

infringe on a person's rights

infringement

-mənt

noun

infringer noun

Legal Definition

infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj 

infringed; infringing

transitive verb

: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another

the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed

—U.S. Constitution amend. II

especially : to violate a holder's rights under (a copyright, patent, trademark, or trade name)

intransitive verb

: encroach

infringer noun

Etymology

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- in + frangere to break