transgression
C1Formal, Literary, Academic, Religious
Definition
Meaning
The act of violating a law, rule, moral code, or established boundary.
Any act that goes beyond what is morally or socially acceptable, often implying a deliberate crossing of a defined limit. In religious contexts, it refers specifically to sin.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries a weight of moral judgment or formal censure. Often implies a conscious, deliberate act rather than an accidental mistake. The word focuses on the act of crossing a line.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. 'Breach' or 'infraction' might be more common in specific legal/administrative contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more common in religious or high-register literary contexts. In both varieties, it sounds more serious and formal than 'mistake' or 'misstep'.
Frequency
Low-frequency in everyday speech; higher in academic, legal, philosophical, and theological writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
transgression of [law/rule/boundary]transgression against [authority/god/society]transgression by [person/group]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific; the word itself is often used in figurative or metaphorical phrases.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used in corporate ethics discussions: 'The audit revealed several financial transgressions.'
Academic
Common in sociology, law, theology, and philosophy: 'The paper analyses social transgressions in Victorian literature.'
Everyday
Very rare in casual speech. Used for emphasis about serious rule-breaking: 'Eating the last biscuit wasn't just greedy; it was a transgression!'
Technical
In law and theology, a precise term for a violation: 'Theological concepts of transgression and atonement.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The player transgressed the rules and was sent off.
- One must not transgress against the laws of the land.
American English
- The company transgressed multiple environmental regulations.
- He felt he had transgressed a personal moral boundary.
adverb
British English
- He acted transgressively, ignoring all warnings.
- The law was transgressively violated.
American English
- She behaved transgressively at the formal event.
- The data was used transgressively, against the agreement.
adjective
British English
- The transgressional act was documented in the report.
- His behaviour was seen as transgressional.
American English
- The study focused on transgressional behaviour in adolescents.
- A transgressional lifestyle.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Stealing is a serious transgression.
- The teacher explained that cheating was a transgression of school rules.
- The politician's financial transgressions were exposed by the media.
- Forgiveness for past transgressions can be difficult to obtain.
- The novel's protagonist is obsessed with atoning for a youthful transgression.
- Societal norms define what constitutes a moral transgression.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of TRANSgression as the act of going TRANS (across) a GRESSion (a step or boundary) – you're stepping across a forbidden line.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORAL/SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IS A BOUNDED SPACE. Transgression is stepping outside that space.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'трансгрессия', which is a highly specialised philosophical term. Use 'нарушение', 'проступок', or 'грех' depending on context.
- Do not confuse with 'transition' (переход).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'transgretion' or 'transgession'.
- Using it for trivial mistakes where 'error' or 'slip' is more appropriate.
- Incorrect preposition: 'transgression to the rule' (correct: 'transgression of the rule').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'transgression' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A 'crime' is a specific legal violation. A 'transgression' is broader and can refer to breaking moral, social, or religious rules, not just laws. All crimes are transgressions, but not all transgressions are crimes.
It is very uncommon. Due to its formal and morally weighted connotations, using it for minor issues (e.g., 'a transgression of dinner party etiquette') is usually humorous or sarcastic.
'Of' is most common (transgression of a rule/law). 'Against' is also used, especially with abstract concepts (transgression against nature/decency).
It is less common than the noun and is primarily used in formal, literary, or religious contexts. In everyday language, 'break', 'violate', or 'go against' are more frequent.
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