Did you know?
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
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Employers now face penalties of up to $30,000 per violation for I-9 infractions.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
The defendant, Daniel Riley, had amassed dozens of GPS violations before the crash, but was never ordered to appear in court over the infractions.
—Taylor Tiamoyo Harris, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Turner received a black card for her decision to take a knee, leading to her expulsion from the tournament for serious infractions or unsportsmanlike behavior.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 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 27 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infraction
noun
Share