violation
Americannoun
-
violations
plural
Synonym Usage
See breach.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing violation
Freak the Mighty
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American Football, 2nd Quarter
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List 2
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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:
Damascus said one person was wounded in the strike, which it called a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Lawyers for the states will argue Meta deliberately made Facebook and Instagram addictive for children, in violation of state and federal laws.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
In 2025, a judge ruled using books purchased in this way to train AI software was not a violation of US copyright law.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
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
The five men were walking single file, which was smart, but they weren’t using a rope—a serious violation of mountaineering protocol.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
But that strategy has also bred controversy, with a sponsored factory tour for a group of Western influencers in 2023 sparking a strong backlash for glossing over alleged labour violations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
And violations of public trust are typically judged quite harshly.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
While being repelled by so much, she is also apparently lured by ethical violations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
According to calculations filed with the court in June, the states could seek more than $3 billion for those violations related to under 13-year-olds alone.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
“However,” he said, “let it be known that this court is not concerned with any perpetrators of violations against our state’s now— blessedly so—defunct Alien Land Law. Mr. Hooks, you may proceed.”
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
