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An infraction is usually the breaking of a law, rule, or agreement. So a nation charged with an infraction of an international treaty will usually have to pay a penalty. In Federal law, an infraction is even smaller than a misdemeanor, and the only penalty is a fine. Most of us occasionally commit infractions of parking laws and get ticketed; speeding tickets are usually for infractions as well, though they go on a permanent record and can end up costing you money for years to come. The closely related word infringement generally refers to a violation of a right or privilege; use of another's writings without permission, for example, may be an infringement of the copyright.
Examples of infraction in a Sentence
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
Provides cybersecurity insurance to more than 53,000 small and midsize businesses to protect against everything from ransomware and social engineering attacks to privacy infractions.
—Jeff Kauflin, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
This touched a nerve in Hollywood, where A.I. was central to the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes, but opinions were split on the infraction.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025
The infraction took place on a touchdown run by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the second quarter of last week’s game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infraction
Cite this Entry
“Infraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infraction. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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infraction
noun
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