violation
Americannoun
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.
Iran apparently saw that as a violation of the memorandum, hence the strikes that restarted the fighting.
From Slate • Jul. 9, 2026
Frisco, Texas, police said Kneeland didn’t stop when state Department of Public Safety troopers tried to pull him over on Nov. 5 for a traffic violation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
The family called this a "direct violation of a formal guarantee previously given to the British ambassador".
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026
Sheinbaum's administration opened an investigation, still ongoing, into whether the presence of the agents represented a violation of national security laws, creating fresh diplomatic friction.
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
“Well,” said Slughorn uncomfortably, “you must understand that the soul is supposed to remain intact and whole. Splitting it is an act of violation, it is against nature.”
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
