violation

violation — noun

1. a situation in which someone does something that a law, rule, agreement, or acce

1.nounB2
Definition

a situation in which someone does something that a law, rule, agreement, or accepted principle says they must not do, or fails to do something they are required to do

Example

Otis received a fine for a parking violation in the city centre.

collocation: parking violation / traffic violation

The court found the company's violation of safety regulations to be deliberate.

violation + of + specific regulation

Common collocations
  • parking violation
  • traffic violation
  • human rights violation
  • safety violation
  • copyright violation
  • code violation
  • flagrant violation
  • gross violation
  • in violation of
Synonyms
  • breach

    more formal and often used for agreements, contracts, or relationships

  • infringement

    suggests a less serious breaking of rules, often used for rights or copyright

  • transgression

    stronger moral or religious tone; implies knowingly crossing a boundary

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

violation + of + [law/rule/agreement/right]

in violation + of + [law/rule]

Usage Note

Commonly paired with a preceding noun that specifies the type of rule broken, such as 'parking violation,' 'traffic violation,' or 'human rights violation.' Also used in the fixed phrase 'in violation of' (e.g., 'in violation of the agreement').

Common Mistakes

The driver made a violation of the traffic law.
The driver committed a violation of the traffic law.
'commit' is the standard verb collocation, not 'make.'
He got a violation ticket.
He got a ticket for a violation.
'violation' is a noun that names the infraction, not an adjective describing the ticket.

2. a minor rule-breaking in a sport, usually involving a procedural or technical mi

2.nounB1
Definition

a minor rule-breaking in a sport, usually involving a procedural or technical mistake that is punished less severely than a foul

Example

The referee called a foot violation when Lakshmi stepped on the sideline during play.

sports compound: foot violation / lane violation / shot-clock violation

Hyun lost possession after the referee signalled a three-second violation in the key.

Common collocations
  • foot violation
  • lane violation
  • shot-clock violation
  • three-second violation
  • procedural violation
  • technical violation
Synonyms
  • infraction

    a general term for any rule-breaking, used both in and outside sports

  • penalty

    focuses on the punishment that follows the rule-breaking, not the act itself

Grammar Patterns

[sport term] + violation

Usage Note

Distinct from 'foul' in most sports — a violation is typically a procedural or non-contact infraction (e.g., stepping out of bounds, breaking a time limit), while a foul usually involves physical contact. Not all sports use both terms; in soccer, for example, 'foul' covers most rule-breaking.

Common Mistakes

The soccer player committed a violation for pushing another player.
The soccer player committed a foul for pushing another player.
pushing involves physical contact, so 'foul' is more accurate than 'violation.'

3. the act of treating a holy place, object, or deeply held belief in a way that sh

3.nounC1
Definition

the act of treating a holy place, object, or deeply held belief in a way that shows extreme disrespect or causes damage

Example

Adina described the graffiti on the temple walls as a violation of a sacred space.

violation + of + sacred/religious site

Many villagers saw the mining project as a violation of their ancestors' burial grounds.

Common collocations
  • violation of a sacred site
  • violation of a temple
  • violation of a burial ground
  • violation of a shrine
  • gross violation
  • wanton violation
Synonyms
  • desecration

    more specific to religious or sacred things; often implies physical damage

  • profanation

    more formal and literary; focuses on treating holy things with disrespect rather than causing damage

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

violation + of + [sacred place / object / belief]

Usage Note

Typically describes actions against religious sites, burial grounds, cultural relics, or revered symbols. Carries strong emotional weight and is often used in protest or condemnation. Not used for minor disrespect — the degree of disrespect must be severe.

Common Mistakes

Not saying hello was a violation of our friendship.
Not saying hello was a breach of our friendship.
'violation' is too strong for minor social slights; use 'breach' instead.

4. the crime or act of forcing a person to take part in sexual activity when they d

4.nounC1
Definition

the crime or act of forcing a person to take part in sexual activity when they do not agree to it, especially through physical force or threat

Example

Allison reported the sexual violation to the hospital staff the next morning.

formal/legal register: sexual violation

The court sentenced him to fourteen years for the violation of a minor.

Common collocations
  • sexual violation
  • criminal violation
  • act of violation
Synonyms
  • rape

    more direct and specific term; 'violation' is sometimes used as a broader or euphemistic alternative in formal settings

  • sexual assault

    a legal term that can include a wider range of unwanted sexual contact than rape alone

Grammar Patterns

sexual violation

violation + of + person

Usage Note

Frequently appears in legal and journalistic contexts as a formal term. Often combined with 'sexual' in compound form. Preferred in formal legal writing over direct slang terms. Considered a sensitive term — use with appropriate context and respect.

Common Mistakes

He was accused of violation.' (without context)
He was accused of sexual violation.
without 'sexual' or other specifying context, readers may misinterpret which sense is intended.

Word family

  • violate
    verbB2
  • violator
    nounB2
  • violative
    adjectiveC1
  • nonviolation
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe the breaking of a rule or standard, but they differ in seriousness, domain, and connotation. Breach is the most formal and is especially common with agreements, contracts, and relationships — you breach a contract or breach trust. Infraction is the mildest of the group, often used for minor rule-breaking such as a traffic infraction or a school infraction; it rarely carries moral weight. Transgression has a stronger moral or religious tone, suggesting the person knew they were crossing a line and did it anyway — used for transgressing a moral code or divine law. Infringement is technical and legal, most often paired with rights or copyright — you infringe on someone's freedom or intellectual property. In everyday usage for general rule-breaking, breach is the closest synonym to violation; for minor or non-moral rule-breaking, infraction is more appropriate; for morally loaded contexts, transgression fits better; and for rights-based contexts, infringement is the most precise.

breach ↗infractiontransgressioninfringement ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in violation of
  • act of violation
  • pattern of violations

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Violation comes from the Latin noun 'violatio' (breaking of the law, injury, profanation), which is built on the verb 'violare' (to treat with violence, to injure, to dishonour). The verb 'violare' is related to 'vis' (force, strength). The word entered English through Old French 'violacion' around the 15th century. The broad legal meaning developed first; the sports sense appeared in the mid-20th century with the formalisation of game rules; the specific sense referring to sexual assault became established in legal usage in the 20th century.