violation

American  

[vahy-uh-lay-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

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Etymology

Origin of violation

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

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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

"In addition, the figures show that the discussions held with the parents concerned in the event of a violation are, for the most part, successful," he added.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

In an email response to The Times, Kimberly Edds, spokesperson for the district attorney, said prosecutors were instead pursuing a probation violation against Lopez.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

McMullen left Kroger in March 2025 after an undisclosed ethics violation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

Lord Sikka, professor of accounting at the University of Sheffield, said it was a "violation of a statutory duty" and "pretty scandalous" to misrepresent transaction dates and not to publish true and fair accounts.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

The police refused to offer any protection to the protesters, who now were picketing in violation of a government order.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

In 2025, the university’s annual safety report noted 29 hazing reports on campus, at frats as well as other student groups, with Cornell meting out violations to 11 organizations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Treasury Department said late Tuesday it was imposing penalties of more than $1.21 billion against Bank of America for violations of anti-money-laundering laws.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

The Office of Foreign Assets Control, which oversees sanctions enforcement, also fined the bank $11.6 million as part of a settlement over apparent sanctions violations, including on Iran, Russia, narcotics and global terrorism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

A Taliban government spokesman said the BBC had been suspended because of "repeated violations" but did not elaborate.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The secretary, however, convinced that both requests were violations of the nation’s Bill of Rights, to whose protection even aliens were entitled, refused to grant Palmer’s requests.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

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Related Words

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

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