violation
Breaking a law
Violation is the breaking of a rule, law, agreement, or boundary.
A traffic violation breaks driving laws.
A violation of privacy crosses personal boundaries.
A violation of trust betrays someone's confidence.
The word often implies something more serious than mere infraction—violations suggest willful disregard or harm.
In sports, a violation is a minor rule break that doesn't rise to a foul.
Punishable illegal act
- offenseViolation or umbrage
- infractionMinor rule breach
- breachBreaking of agreement
- contraventionAct violating a rule
misdemeanor · felony · statute · ordinance · regulation · code · prosecution · defendant
Minor rule breach
- noncomplianceFailure to follow requirements
- breachBreaking of agreement
- disregardWillful lack of attention
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
defiance · insubordination · transgression · breaking · flouting · ignoring · disregarding · circumvention
Violent offensive act
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
- forceStrength or compulsion
- harmInjury or damage
injury · attack · aggression · bodily · personal space · boundary · intrusion · unwanted
Violating something sacred
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- profanationViolation of sanctity
- blasphemyIrreverence toward the sacred
- defilementAct of corrupting purity
taboo · sanctity · holy · religious · shrine · temple · cemetery · grave
Exclusive reproduction rights
- patentObvious; inventor's monopoly
- trademarkRegistered commercial identifier
- infringementViolation of rights
- piracySeaborne theft or bootlegging
counterfeit · unauthorized · intellectual property · bootlegging · plagiarism · licensing · royalty · DMCA
Guaranteed individual legal protections
- human rightsInalienable personal freedoms
- constitutionalHealth-promoting walk
- privacyFreedom from observation
- freedomAbsence of constraint
liberty · discrimination · due process · harassment · exploitation · oppression · injustice · equality
Improper professional behavior
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- malpracticeHarmful professional negligence
- dishonestyDisposition toward falsehood
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
conflict of interest · nepotism · falsification · plagiarism · fraudulence · deceit · bias · prejudice
Shared position between parties
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- armisticeAgreement to cease hostilities
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
- accordHarmony between parties
pact · convention · sanctions · Geneva · international · diplomatic · sovereignty · territorial
crime
Punishable illegal act
- offenseViolation or umbrage
- infractionMinor rule breach
- breachBreaking of agreement
contravention · misdemeanor · felony · statute · ordinance · regulation · code · prosecution · defendant · penalty
infraction
Minor rule breach
- noncomplianceFailure to follow requirements
- breachBreaking of agreement
- disregardWillful lack of attention
disobedience · defiance · insubordination · transgression · breaking · flouting · ignoring · disregarding · circumvention · evasion
assault
Violent offensive act
harm · injury · attack · aggression · bodily · personal space · boundary · intrusion · unwanted · touching
desecration
Violating something sacred
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- profanationViolation of sanctity
- blasphemyIrreverence toward the sacred
defilement · taboo · sanctity · holy · religious · shrine · temple · cemetery · grave · ritual
copyright
Exclusive reproduction rights
- patentObvious; inventor's monopoly
- trademarkRegistered commercial identifier
- infringementViolation of rights
piracy · counterfeit · unauthorized · intellectual property · bootlegging · plagiarism · licensing · royalty · DMCA · takedown
civil rights
Guaranteed individual legal protections
- human rightsInalienable personal freedoms
- constitutionalHealth-promoting walk
- privacyFreedom from observation
freedom · liberty · discrimination · due process · harassment · exploitation · oppression · injustice · equality · dignity
misconduct
Improper professional behavior
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- malpracticeHarmful professional negligence
- dishonestyDisposition toward falsehood
bribery · conflict of interest · nepotism · falsification · plagiarism · fraudulence · deceit · bias · prejudice · favoritism
agreement
Shared position between parties
- ceasefireAgreed halt to fighting
- armisticeAgreement to cease hostilities
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
accord · pact · convention · sanctions · Geneva · international · diplomatic · sovereignty · territorial · airspace
- defiancedefiance, disobedience, insubordination, noncompliance, rebellion
- ruleslaw, rule, guideline, bylaw, standard
- violationsinfractions, infraction, breach, offense, breaches
- food safetyfood safety, food hygiene, food handling, food poisoning, contamination
- honor codehonor code, no cheating, honesty, integrity, no lying
- municipal codeordinance, code, bylaw, code enforcement, code inspector
violationcompliance
Adhering to requirements
observance · adherence · obedience · conformity · upholding
violationvirtue
Moral goodness or merit
righteousness · morality · innocence · goodness · blamelessness
violationsanctuary
Protected sacred space
respect · protection · preservation · honoring · consent
- parole violationBreaking early release terms
- traffic violationBreach of road laws
- due process violationFailure to follow legal protections
- moving violationIllegal act while driving
- human rights violationBreach of fundamental dignities
- code violationsBreaches of regulations