transgression
Americannoun
-
transgressions
plural
noun
-
a breach of a law, etc; sin or crime
-
the act or an instance of transgressing
Synonym Usage
See breach.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of transgression
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin trānsgressiōn-, stem of trānsgressiō “passage across, transition, violation”; equivalent to transgress + -ion
Explanation
A transgression is something that is against a command or law. Whether you are cheating on a test, or cheating on a spouse, you are committing transgressions that are not easily forgiven. A transgression can be a failure to do your duty. A sin is a transgression against God. The noun transgression is from Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin "act of crossing, passing over," from transgredi "to step or pass over."
Vocabulary lists containing transgression
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List 1
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Power Prefix: trans-
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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:
Cathy’s reasons for doing terrible things may be understandable, even relatable, while the transgression remains unforgivable.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
The League of Arab States joined the chorus, calling the attack "an unacceptable transgression".
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
The 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said attacks on Mecca and Medina province, where Islam's second holiest shrine is located, constituted an "unacceptable and intolerable transgression".
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
The home-plate umpire paused the game to admonish Santana for coming set before Caballero was looking at him, a transgression that could result in an automatic ball being added to the count.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
I wait to ask for advice, while Angelina relates some new transgression of Durufle’s lazy steward and Isabel chatters about the icy weather.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
His comedic sensibility explores cruelty, shock, transgressions and antiheroes — and it’s also what continues to draw him to literature.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
That they were macho-coded transgressions was core to his sustained support.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
But as the network of civil-rights agencies grew, the transgressions those agencies aimed to prosecute diminished in number and import.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
The potentially reimbursed penalties are for transgressions including failure to file penalties, failure to pay penalties and failure to make estimated tax payments, she wrote.
From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026
The accident she never thought about and which she didn’t include in her list of transgressions.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
