infraction
Americannoun
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breach; violation; infringement.
an infraction of the rules.
-
Medicine/Medical. an incomplete fracture of a bone.
Synonym Usage
See breach.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of infraction
First recorded in 1615–25, infraction is from the Latin word infrāctiōn- (stem of infrāctiō ). See infract, -ion
Explanation
When you break school rules about gum chewing, you commit an infraction. An infraction is a petty crime or a minor breaking of rules. When you think of the word infraction, think that your offence has just crossed the line into wrong. Something like a parking ticket is an infraction. When you commit an infraction, you're not knee deep in wrong, you've just dipped your toe into wrong to see what it feels like. A misdemeanor is a more serious crime such as theft, and murder is considered a felony, the most serious of crimes.
Vocabulary lists containing infraction
The Giver
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Give Me a Break!: Fract and Frag
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Tangerine
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Infraction numbers are also shown for August through July.
From Washington Post
Infraction numbers are also shown for August through July.
From Washington Post
The penalty for this and for any other Level Four Infraction is expulsion.”
From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor
Infraction, in-frak′shun, n. violation, esp. of law: breach.—v.t.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Infraction of the rules and regulations were frequent, for the simple reason that they were never explained to us.
From Sixteen Months in Four German Prisons Wesel, Sennelager, Klingelputz, Ruhleben by Mahoney, Henry Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
