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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
Ginny Monk, ProPublica, 27 Apr. 2026
Booth said the pickup truck driver stayed at the scene and spoke to officers before being issued an infraction for failure to grant the right of way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026
The Ducks killed their first six penalties of the series but have since been touched up shorthanded on three of their past four PKs, with the fourth being truncated by an Edmonton infraction.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Apr. 2026
Class participation earned students a merit; minor infractions, like talking out of turn, led to a demerit.
—Steven F. Wilson, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infraction
Cite this Entry
“Infraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infraction. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infraction
noun
