Synonyms for infringe
Most common
violate transgress flout infract encroach impinge contravene overstep
Definitions
- v. 1
To break or violate a treaty, a law, a right, etc.
Near-synonyms: flout, infract
- v. 2
To break in or encroach on something.
infringing on my personal freedom
- v. 3
To furnish or embellish with a fringe.
Related words
- Word family
- infringement infraction
Forms
- Past participle
- infringed
e.g. infringed → violated, transgressed, flouted, disobeyed…
Example sentences
- violate These factories violate multiple health regulations.
- transgress You think you can transgress the law?
- flout I decided to flout the rules and stay out past curfew.
- encroach A good salesman will not encroach on his customer's time.
- impinge I can't let these distractions impinge on my work.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| infringe | steady | |
| violate | steady | |
| transgress | rising | |
| flout | steady | |
| infract | steady | |
| encroach | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- break1, flout1
- 6 letters
- trench1, offend2, invade2
- 7 letters
- violate3, disobey3, intrude2, impinge2, infract
- 8 letters
- conflict2, trespass2, encroach2, overstep3
- 10 letters
- transgress2, contravene3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (offend2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- enfreindre
- Español
- infringir
- Català
- infringir