violation
AmericanRelated Words
See breach.
Other Word Forms
- nonviolation noun
- previolation noun
- reviolation noun
- violational adjective
Etymology
Origin of violation
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin violātiōn- (stem of violātiō ), equivalent to violāt ( us ) ( 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.
“We see this as a violation of their due process,” Abeln said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
The bar found accounting irregularities but no violation of any rule.
From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026
He told BBC Verify that a sanction violation occurs when payment is made to anyone on the list, so paying a toll to them would be a violation unless the US makes an exception.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
Super Micro said it has launched an investigation into how individuals associated with the company allegedly diverted U.S.-assembled servers to China in a violation of export-control laws, in a statement late Tuesday.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
No one should touch someone else’s dæmon—it was a violation.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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.
