violation

American  

[vahy-uh-ley-shuhn] / ˌvaɪ əˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

• violations
  plural

1. the act of violating.

2. the state of being violated.

3. a breach, infringement, or transgression, as of a law, rule, promise, etc..

   He was fined for a traffic violation.

4. desecration; profanation.

   the violation of a cemetery.

5. sexual molestation, especially rape.

6. a distortion of meaning or fact.

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Synonym Usage

See breach.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonviolation
  noun
• previolation
  noun
• reviolation
  noun
• violational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• violations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of violation

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin violātiōn- (stem of violātiō ), equivalent to violāt ( us ) ( see violate) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Anytime a person crosses a boundary — a legal boundary, a moral boundary, a physical boundary, or a binding business deal — that's a violation. When a burglar picks the lock on your door, that's a violation of your property. A violation can be a disrespectful act or the crossing of someone’s physical boundaries. When you're forced to shake hands with your boss's wife, the way her perfume stings your eyes might feel like a violation. Violation is often used to describe an action that disregards an agreement or a basic right, such as a violation of a global climate treaty or a human rights violation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

violation violations

Documents reviewed by The Times also show that the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety notified Lineage the building was in violation and required all dead organic waste to be removed within 45 days.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

“Last month, the world found out OpenAI lost control of an AI model. The result? The model hacked into another company’s computers—a clear violation of federal law.”

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

But the DA cautioned that adequate security was needed to prevent spectators from covertly recording the trial from an overflow room in violation of New York law.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

“A small number of officials leak information in violation of regulations,” Banyuetan, a magazine published by the official Xinhua News Agency, said in a recent report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

So even though Evan's door was wide open, just crossing the threshold was a direct violation that carried a fine of one dollar.

From "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies

Flock cameras help police solve crimes, but cases of officers abusing their access to the technology for stalking raise concerns about privacy violations.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

He said the conditions included Iran receiving compensation from the US for what Tehran described as violations of the deal both sides signed in June to cease fighting and advance talks to end the war.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Berko, a citizen of the U.S. and Ghana, was charged in 2020 with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and in 2024 he was extradited from the U.K., where he had worked for Goldman.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Spain's interior minister has said he was working "firmly" with Morocco to avoid further "violations", and that any migrants still in Ceuta would be returned there as soon as possible.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Answering before a question was completed or having several kids answer at once were violations of the rules that would cost points.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• abuse
• contravention
• encroachment
• infraction
• infringement
• misdemeanor
• negligence
• offense
• transgression