violate

violate — verb

1. to do something that is not allowed by a law, rule, agreement, or accepted stand

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to do something that is not allowed by a law, rule, agreement, or accepted standard — for example, driving over the speed limit, breaking a contract, or ignoring a basic moral principle.

Example

The company violated safety rules by removing the fire alarms from the building.

collocation: violate + safety rules / regulations

Tariro violated the terms of her contract when she started working for a competitor.

collocation: violate + terms of an agreement

Common collocations
  • violate the law
  • violate the rules
  • violate an agreement
  • violate a contract
  • violate the terms
  • violate a principle
  • violate a standard
  • violate the code
Synonyms
  • break

    everyday word; less formal than 'violate'. 'He broke the rules' vs 'He violated the terms of the agreement.'

  • breach

    more formal, stronger legal tone. Used for contracts, security, diplomatic relations.

  • infringe

    used especially for rights, patents, copyrights. Suggests gradual or partial overstepping.

Antonyms
  • obey

    general opposite; used for laws, rules, instructions.

  • respect

    used for principles, boundaries, codes of behaviour.

Grammar Patterns

violate + noun phrase (law/agreement/rule/principle)

Usage Note

Frequently used with direct objects naming official systems: law, regulation, rule, agreement, contract, treaty, code, principle, standard. The passive form (be violated) is common in reporting and legal contexts.

Common Mistakes

The driver violated the stop sign.
The driver ran the stop sign.
'violate' is typically used with the law or rule itself, not with physical traffic signs.
They violated the door to get in.
They violated safety rules by forcing the door open.
'violate' applies to rules/laws, not physical objects directly.

2. to enter or interfere with a person's private space, peace, or territory in a wa

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to enter or interfere with a person's private space, peace, or territory in a way that shows a lack of respect — for example, going into someone's home without permission, listening to private conversations, or sending noisy activity into a quiet area.

Example

The journalist violated the family's privacy by waiting outside their gate with a camera.

collocation: violate + (someone's) privacy

Lukas felt the loud music from the nightclub violated the peace of the entire neighbourhood.

collocation: violate + peace of [a place]

Common collocations
  • violate privacy
  • violate peace
  • violate someone's space
  • violate airspace
  • violate the sanctity
Synonyms
  • invade

    strong physical entry into territory or space; 'violate' emphasises disrespect more than physical force.

  • intrude on/upon

    less forceful; suggests entering where one is unwelcome rather than crossing a boundary aggressively.

Antonyms
  • respect

    used with privacy, space, and boundaries.

Grammar Patterns

violate + noun phrase (privacy/peace/space/territory)

Usage Note

Common collocates include privacy, peace, space, territory, airspace, sanctity, and boundaries. This sense overlaps with 'invade' but 'violate' carries a stronger moral judgement of disrespect.

Common Mistakes

The children violated the kitchen looking for snacks.
The children invaded the kitchen looking for snacks.
'violate' implies serious disrespect, not casual entry.

3. to make a person engage in sexual activity without their agreement — a formal ex

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to make a person engage in sexual activity without their agreement — a formal expression used in court cases, news reports, and medical writing about serious sexual offences.

Example

In court, the survivor described how the man had violated her in the hotel room.

frequently used in legal testimony / court contexts

The court found the defendant guilty of violating the young woman while she was unconscious.

passive structure: be violated

Common collocations
  • violate a woman/man
  • violate a minor
  • be violated by someone
  • violate someone (legal context)
Synonyms
  • rape

    the direct, common term; 'violate' is more formal and euphemistic, often used in legal documents.

  • sexually assault

    broader legal term covering unwanted sexual contact, not only rape.

Grammar Patterns

violate + person (direct object)

be violated (passive)

Usage Note

This is a formal, legal term. In everyday conversation, 'rape' or 'sexually assault' are more common. The passive form ('was violated') is frequent in news reporting and court records. Use with care: many survivors prefer language that focuses on the perpetrator's actions rather than describing the survivor as 'violated'.

Common Mistakes

He violated her personal life.' (when meaning general intrusion — this is ambiguous).
He invaded her privacy.
'violate' in the sexual sense is a very specific legal term; avoid using it loosely.
She felt violated.' (in non-sexual contexts like being shouted at).
She felt hurt/offended.
reserve 'violated' for serious boundary-breaking.

4. to damage, spoil, or treat without respect something that is considered holy or

4.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to damage, spoil, or treat without respect something that is considered holy or very important — for example, spray-painting a church, digging up a grave, or burning a national flag.

Example

Vandals violated the ancient temple by painting symbols on its stone walls.

collocation: violate + temple / church / shrine

The company was criticised for violating a sacred burial ground to build a car park.

Common collocations
  • violate a temple
  • violate a shrine
  • violate a grave
  • violate sacred ground
  • violate a sanctuary
Synonyms
  • desecrate

    stronger focus on religious defilement; 'violate' can extend to culturally important secular places too.

  • profane

    emphasises treating holy things with disrespect; slightly more literary.

  • defile

    suggests making something dirty or impure; stronger emotional charge.

Antonyms
  • honour

    to show proper respect for sacred places or important symbols.

  • protect

    to keep sacred or important sites safe from harm.

Grammar Patterns

violate + noun phrase (sacred place/object/symbol)

Usage Note

Subject is typically a person or group; object is a place or object with religious, cultural, or historical importance. 'Desecrate' is a common synonym, though 'violate' often adds a layer of moral outrage. In modern use, can also refer to disrespecting secular symbols of national or cultural importance.

Common Mistakes

The children violated the teacher's desk.
The children made a mess of the teacher's desk.
'violate' in this sense is only used for things people consider holy or deeply important.

violate — adjective

Word family

  • violation
    nounB2
  • violator
    nounC1
  • violated
    adjectiveC1
  • violable
    adjectiveC2
  • inviolable
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe going against a rule or standard, but they differ in formality and scope. 'Break' is the everyday word — you break a rule, a promise, or the law; it is simple and widely used in all contexts. 'Breach' is more formal and specific to contracts, security, and diplomatic relations; you breach an agreement or breach a data system, but you wouldn't 'breach a promise' in ordinary speech. 'Defy' implies open, deliberate resistance — you defy an order, a ban, or authority, often with a sense of rebellion. 'Infringe' is narrower, used mainly for rights, patents, and freedoms; it suggests a gradual or technical overstepping rather than a direct confrontation. For a learner: use 'break' for everyday situations, 'violate' or 'breach' in formal or legal writing, 'defy' when someone openly refuses to obey, and 'infringe' when discussing intellectual property or civil liberties. For example: 'The student broke the school rules,' but 'The company violated safety regulations'; 'The protesters defied the curfew,' while 'The app was accused of infringing user privacy.'

break ↗breach ↗defy ↗infringe

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in violation of
  • violate the terms of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Violate comes from Latin 'violare', meaning 'to treat with violence, dishonour, or outrage'. This root is connected to 'vis', the Latin word for 'force' or 'strength'. The word entered Middle English through Old French 'violer' and has kept its core meaning of forceful disrespect across all four modern senses — whether what is being broken is a law, a person's body, a private space, or a sacred place.