Meaning

(transitive) To break or violate a treaty, a law, a right, etc..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To break or violate a treaty, a law, a right, etc.
2. (intransitive) To break in or encroach on something.
3. (transitive, dated) To furnish or embellish with a fringe.

Example Sentences

Near-synonym: flout

The patent situation, too, played a part in this, as often a firm sought to produce something which would achieve a given result, and yet not infringe a patent held by another; or a railway engineer would think of a device of his own that would free him of obligation to some manufacturer.

According to this saga of intellectual-property misanthropy, these creatures [patent trolls] roam the business world, buying up patents and then using them to demand extravagant payouts from companies they accuse of infringing them. Often, their victims pay up rather than face the costs of a legal battle.

Near-synonym: impinge

infringing on my personal freedom

A well regulated Militia, being neceſsary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Word Forms

• infringes
• infringing
• infringed
• enfringe

Synonyms for infringe

Related Words

When Should You Use Infringe?

Use infringe when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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