infringe
Americanverb (used with object)
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infringes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
infringed,
past participle, past
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infringing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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infringes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
infringed,
past participle, past
-
infringing
present participle
verb
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(tr) to violate or break (a law, an agreement, etc)
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(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
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infringesimple
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infringessimple
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have infringedperfect
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has infringedperfect
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am infringingprogressive
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are infringingprogressive
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is infringingprogressive
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have been infringingperfect progressive
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has been infringingperfect progressive
Past
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infringedsimple
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had infringedperfect
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was infringingprogressive
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were infringingprogressive
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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:
In a statement, Amazon said the retailer has a verification process for authorized sellers and removes listings that infringe trademarks and copyrights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 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
The EU on Monday ruled that a French draft law to ban social media for under-15s would infringe the bloc's rules if approved in its current form.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
It said the intervention was needed to prevent "serious and irreparable harm to competition in this growing market by Meta's conduct", which it said appeared to infringe EU competition rules.
From BBC ● 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
Civil-rights lawyers and former DHS staffers see it differently and say the system infringes free speech.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 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
However, in Skrmetti, the court denied a petition by minors and their parents that argued the ban also infringes on parental rights protected under the due process clause.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2025
Authors, musicians and artists have filed numerous lawsuits asserting that this process infringes their copyrights, since in most cases they haven’t granted permission or been compensated for it for the use.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2025
The latter only cover the culprit who infringes them with passing ignominy, an ignominy that time pours back on the judges and the nations, there to remain for ever.
From Diderot and the Encyclopædists Volume II. by John Morley
Some felt it infringed on their sense of nostalgia.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
The lawsuit claimed the invention infringed on Edison’s own work—a familiar maneuver in an era when patent law functioned as both shield and weapon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Caf added that "through the conduct of its team" Senegal infringed on Article 82 of regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations and as a result Article 84 became applicable.
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026
The ruling by judge Eumi Kim Lee signals that Cameo is likely to prove that OpenAI infringed on its trademark.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
“All revival falls under the auspices of the Thunderhead, and we are here to make sure its domain is not infringed upon.”
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
They were controversial events because some were staged in Europe, infringing on territory that had previously been the traditional domain of the DP World Tour.
From BBC ● 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
A 40-year-old man from Blackpool, a 49-year-old man from Bolton and two women, aged 40 and 21, also from Bolton, were held on suspicion of conspiracy to distribute items infringing copyright and money laundering.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026
I relied on Wolfie to procure reading material for me and I fear that I took over his life, infringing on both his work and pleasure.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
