infringe
Americanverb (used with object)
-
infringes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
infringed,
past participle, past
-
infringing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
infringes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
infringed,
past participle, past
-
infringing
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to violate or break (a law, an agreement, etc)
-
(intr; foll by on or upon) to encroach or trespass
Synonym Usage
See trespass.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
infringesimple
-
infringessimple
-
have infringedperfect
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has infringedperfect
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am infringingprogressive
-
are infringingprogressive
-
is infringingprogressive
-
have been infringingperfect progressive
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has been infringingperfect progressive
Past
-
infringedsimple
-
had infringedperfect
-
was infringingprogressive
-
were infringingprogressive
-
had been infringingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of infringe
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin infringere “to break, weaken,” equivalent to in- in- 2 + -fringere, combining form of frangere “to break”; akin to break
Explanation
When you infringe on someone's space, time, or rights, you're getting involved in a way that is not cool. That's why, when you violate a copyright, you're said to infringe upon it. Infringe is almost always used with the prepositions "on" or "upon," as in, "if you infringe on my rights, I'll sue you." Nobody knows why that's the case. Our language is full of rules and traditions that just are the way they are. We call these phrases "idiomatic." To infringe "on" or "upon" something is one of those. You don't infringe "into" someone's conversation. You infringe "upon" it. Case closed.
Vocabulary lists containing infringe
The Bill of Rights
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List 6
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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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.
See Examples For:
But when the law was passed, state minister Pankaj Bhoyar said it did not infringe upon the right to change religion.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
He added, “These deprivations, while grievous, do not infringe upon any deeply rooted constitutional right.”
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
From what you’re saying, this won’t infringe upon your values and would make you a more efficient worker.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
"Today, we require Meta to restore access to WhatsApp for competing AI assistants while we investigate whether the restrictions may infringe EU competition rules," EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
“This little treasure is all mine, gentlemen and ladies. Please, I beg you. Do not infringe on my discovery ” “Mr. Remorso,” said Despereaux.
From "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread" by Kate DiCamillo
Sony and Universal also filed a new lawsuit last week alleging that Suno’s latest model still infringes on their copyrighted works.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
A court in Hebei province had ruled on Tuesday that Gao Zhen's work "infringes upon the hero's reputation and harms public interest".
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
In the Peacock case, the court also notes that the tax violates the First Amendment because it infringes on freedom of speech by “requiring content-based distinctions.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
"This will prevent serious and irreparable harm to competition in this growing market by Meta's conduct, which at first sight infringes EU competition rules," the commission said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
Muḥammad said, “If anyone infringes their rights, I Myself will be his enemy, and in the presence of God I will bring a charge against him.”
From Some Answered Questions by `Abdu'l-Bahá
United Therapeutics picked up a win in its patent lawsuit against rival Liquidia when a federal judge ruled that two of United Therapeutics’ claims were valid and infringed upon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Audio firm Taction Technology claimed in 2021 that Apple had infringed two of its patents for haptics systems, which enable vibrations for actions such as receiving a message or pressing a button.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Some felt it infringed on their sense of nostalgia.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
District Judge Aileen Cannon agreed, reiterating that “the allegedly infringed material — basic ideas, themes, metaphors, isolated words, and short phrases — is not protected expression and cannot be infringed.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Lawrence was predictably incensed by the implication that his patent claims might have infringed Caltech’s claim to primacy.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
The new lawsuit increases the number of copyrighted recordings Sony is accusing Udio of infringing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“Secure ballot envelope identifiers provide a reliable, auditable mechanism to enforce Federal law without unduly burdening or infringing on the rights of eligible voters,” the order reads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026
The drugmakers accused Moderna of infringing on several patents covering lipid nanoparticle technology, which is a critical component of Moderna’s mRNA vaccines.
From Barron's ● Mar. 4, 2026
Novo Nordisk is seeking court orders declaring that Hims & Hers are infringing on Novo Nordisk’s patent, blocking the sale of infringing products, plus monetary damages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
Most people in our community are decent, hardworking citizens who pursue their own interests legally and without infringing on the rights of others.
From "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
