infringe
in-FRINJ
/ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/
To actively break, violate, or encroach upon a law, agreement, or established right.
Most frequently used when an official policy or private action gradually encroaches upon constitutional rights or intellectual property.
The story behind the word. In Latin, 'frangere' meant to fracture or break (which also gives us 'fracture' and 'fragment'). To 'infringe' meant breaking through a boundary line or legal agreement.
Word relationships
- encroach: Encroach emphasizes gradual territorial or boundary invasion; infringe emphasizes breaking legal rights or terms.
- violate: Violate carries a stronger connotation of forceful or direct breach, whereas infringe often involves subtle or progressive restriction.
- respect: Respect means honoring and obeying established rights and boundaries.
- protect: Protect means guarding legal rights against harm or encroachment.
Commonly confused with
- impinge: Impinge means to make a physical impact or negative impression; infringe specifically means to violate legal rights or laws.
Word family
- infringement (noun): The action of violating or encroaching upon a law or right.
Collocations
- infringe upon rights
- infringe on privacy
- infringe copyright
- patent infringement
Example sentences
- "The court ruled that the censorship law did unconstitutionally infringe upon freedom of expression." Constitutional protection
- "Using trademarked logos without permission will illegally infringe upon the corporation's legal rights." Intellectual property
Memory hook
IN + FRINGE: pushing inside the outer FRINGE of someone else's rights. Break the legal boundary.
When not to use
Do not use for committing physical assault or minor social etiquette breaches.
Fun facts
- The word 'fracture', 'fragile', and 'infringe' all come from the exact same ancient Latin root frangere.
Related words
Explore more words
infringement, Breach, transgress, encroach, intrude, Binding
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