violate
C1Formal
Definition
Meaning
To break or fail to comply with a rule, law, agreement, or principle.
To treat something with disrespect, profanation, or desecration; to infringe upon or disturb (e.g., privacy, peace).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily transitive, carries strong negative connotations of serious transgression. Often implies a deliberate or harmful act.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both use the same sense of breaking rules or norms.
Connotations
Equally negative and formal in both variants.
Frequency
Similar frequency. Slightly more common in legal and political discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NP ___ NP (e.g., The company violated the law.)NP ___ NP PP (e.g., They violated the agreement by selling the data.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To cross a line (informal equivalent for violating a boundary)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used regarding contracts, regulations, and professional codes of conduct.
Academic
Common in legal, political science, and ethics texts.
Everyday
Used in news and serious discussions about rules or personal boundaries.
Technical
Used in law, data protection (e.g., 'violate GDPR'), and human rights contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The proposal would violate our planning regulations.
- He was accused of violating the Official Secrets Act.
American English
- The policy violates federal law.
- The search violated her Fourth Amendment rights.
adverb
British English
- N/A (extremely rare, not standard).
American English
- N/A (extremely rare, not standard).
adjective
British English
- The violated treaty was no longer in force.
- A sense of violated trust remained.
American English
- The violated contract led to a lawsuit.
- He felt a violated sense of privacy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- You must not violate the school rules.
- The new law violates our basic freedoms.
- The company was fined for violating safety standards.
- Such surveillance violates the individual's right to privacy.
- The court ruled that the evidence was obtained in a manner that violated the defendant's constitutional rights.
- The ambassador's actions were deemed to have violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VIOLin being smashed – such an act would VIOL-ATE the peace and the instrument's purpose.
Conceptual Metaphor
RULES ARE PHYSICAL BARRIERS/LAWS ARE SACRED OBJECTS (to violate is to break through or defile).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'violence' (насилие). 'Violate' is нарушать, преступать.
- Avoid using 'violate' for simple mistakes; it implies a serious, often intentional breach.
Common Mistakes
- Using it intransitively (e.g., 'He violated.' is incomplete).
- Confusing with 'violent' (adj) in spelling or meaning.
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'break' or 'ignore' is sufficient.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'violate' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while often used for laws and rules, it can also refer to abstract concepts like privacy, peace, trust, or principles.
The most common nouns are 'violation' (the act) and 'violator' (the person/entity that violates).
Almost never. It inherently carries a negative meaning of wrongful transgression.
They are often synonyms, but 'violate' can carry a stronger sense of moral outrage or desecration, while 'breach' is more neutral and common in contractual contexts.