violate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to act against (a law, principle, promise, agreement, instruction, etc.); break, transgress, or fail to honor.
He violated city bylaws by building without a permit.
I’d stay longer, but I don’t want to violate my curfew.
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to treat (something precious, sacred, beautiful, etc.) with disrespect or contempt; mar or desecrate.
They feel compelled to speak out against governments that violate human rights.
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to break through or into by force or without right, as a border, home, property, restricted space, etc..
A hostile power has violated our airspace.
They returned to find that their home had been violated.
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to break in upon or disturb rudely; interfere thoughtlessly with.
These surveillance cameras violate my privacy.
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to molest sexually, especially to rape.
verb
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to break, disregard, or infringe (a law, agreement, etc)
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to rape or otherwise sexually assault
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to disturb rudely or improperly; break in upon
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to treat irreverently or disrespectfully; outrage
he violated a sanctuary
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obsolete to mistreat physically
adjective
Usage
What else does violate mean? To violate is to breach some code of conduct, often in an egregious manner. It is often used to describe breaking the law or committing physical violence against another–especially rape and sexual assault. In Black slang, to violate someone is personally insulting or assaulting someone.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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violabilitynoun
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violaternoun
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violationnoun
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violatornoun
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previolateverb (used with object)
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reviolateverb (used with object)
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violableadjective
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violativeadjective
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violablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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violatesimple
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violatessimple
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have violatedperfect
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has violatedperfect
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am violatingprogressive
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are violatingprogressive
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is violatingprogressive
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have been violatingperfect progressive
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has been violatingperfect progressive
Past
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violatedsimple
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had violatedperfect
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was violatingprogressive
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were violatingprogressive
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had been violatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of violate
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin violātus “treated with violence,” past participle of violāre “to treat with violence, violate,” apparently derivative of violentus violent ( def. ) (taking viol- as base); see -ate 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Violate is a verb that describes actions that show no respect for people, laws, property, and customs. Drivers violate the law when they fail to stop at red lights, and people violate your privacy when they eavesdrop on your personal conversations. Violate comes from the Latin word violatus which means "to break," as in a promise or oath. As members of our society, we make unspoken promises — to follow all laws, to help people if we can, or at the very least, not hurt them. So when we violate — laws, property, people's abilities to live safe, peaceful lives — we break the promises that come with being lawful citizens.
Vocabulary lists containing violate
"Tinker v. Des Moines": Excerpts from Justice Fortas's Opinion
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Lesson 1
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"Too Young to Drive?" and "Rules of the Road"
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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:
This does not violate the laws of physics.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
They also said the requests for phone records “demonstrate abuse of the grand jury process, continued bad-faith attacks on the journalists” and violate Justice Department regulations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Lawyers for the Times said "the Government's actions violate the most basic First Amendment protections for newsgathering activity."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Novo says the direct-to-consumer ads for Zepbound and Mounjaro created by Indianapolis-based Lilly violate advertising and unfair-competition laws.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
She decided she wasn’t going to let anyone violate her ever again, and she took control.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Wheely argues the requirement violates Fourth Amendment protections, while the city says the data is vital for driver and passenger safety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Rather than asking whether terraforming violates the laws of physics, researchers believe the more important questions are whether humanity should pursue it and what the safest path would look like.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
A coalition of farming, forestry, restaurant and packaging organizations sued the state in March, arguing the law violates their right to free speech.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
“Hitching a paycheck, benefits and future nest egg to the exact same company violates the golden rule of finance: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Hopkins, the Supreme Court had recognized that racially selective enforcement violates equal protection of the laws.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Translated into constitutional terms, Minnesota argued that the surge violated federalist principles by invading the state’s reserved police powers: the broad authority to govern public health, safety, welfare, and order.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
In 2023, an AI-generated "duet" between Drake and The Weeknd was removed from Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music after their record label, Universal, said the song violated copyright law.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
But the NFL could still take action if it determines one or both violated the league’s personal-conduct policy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Bisignano ran into problems with his old firm when he recruited a number of JPMorgan executives to join him at First Data, which JPMorgan said violated his separation agreement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Moore, however, couldn’t sell the Mo cells because that would have violated Golde’s patent.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
She recognizes the risks to vulnerable people, and hints at the observation that euthanasia by way of organ donation would treat the prospective donor as a means to an end, violating their inherent human dignity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Australia has previously said it did not receive sufficient notice of the missile test and a dozen Pacific Island countries have denounced it for violating the region's wish to remain free of nuclear weapons testing.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
This behavior could offer a new way to understand how organized structures can develop locally without violating the second law of thermodynamics.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
And Iran accused the U.S. of repeatedly violating the April ceasefire and the memorandum of understanding signed in June.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The penalties for violating security regulations covering information judged to be sensitive had a distinctly militaristic cast, with fines of up to $300,000 and jail terms as long as thirty years for “willful” disclosures.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
