infringe

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb infringe differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of infringe are encroach, invade, and trespass. While all these words mean "to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another," infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative.

infringing a copyright

When is it sensible to use encroach instead of infringe?

In some situations, the words encroach and infringe are roughly equivalent. However, encroach suggests gradual or stealthy entrance upon another's territory or usurpation of another's rights or possessions.

the encroaching settlers displacing the native peoples

When can invade be used instead of infringe?

While in some cases nearly identical to infringe, invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another.

accused of invading their privacy

When might trespass be a better fit than infringe?

The synonyms trespass and infringe are sometimes interchangeable, but trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion.

hunters trespassing on farmland

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of infringe Of note: Your Content must not be false, defamatory, misleading or hateful, or infringe any copyright or any other third-party rights or otherwise be unlawful. Brian M. Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 Forbes sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity in June, accusing it of infringing copyright. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Wendy Chang, in a ruling issued on Monday, rejected WBTV’s bid to dismiss the lawsuit on free speech grounds, finding that the studio may have interfered with the estate’s contract rights and infringed the copyright of ER. Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025 Crews have widened sidewalks on either side of Grand Avenue on the two blocks from Broadway to Juniper Street, which will allow more outdoor dining areas without infringing on pedestrian pathways. Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for infringe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infringe
Verb
  • Typically, the Office for Civil Rights investigates a complaint and finds out whether a school or district has violated its obligation to serve students with disabilities.
    Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The latest case before the court involves Louisiana's congressional map, which was redrawn last year to add a second majority-Black district to comply with Section 2, but then was found to be a racial gerrymander that violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Safety concerns cannot be allowed to impinge on supporters’ experiences and detract from what is an otherwise world-class venue.
    Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Routine maintenance, like clearing brush impinging on power lines, got deferred, and aging equipment wasn’t replaced.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Mar. 2018
Verb
  • Swollen rivers could breach their banks in the coming days as floodwater filters back into area waterways.
    Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In 2024, the planet breached 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial temperatures, an ominous milestone—and a reminder of the urgency with which the world must tackle this challenge.
    TIME PR, Time, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The administration argues that members of Tren de Aragua have invaded the U.S. and are a national security threat.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Finland and Sweden, both of which had tried for decades to steer clear of superpower gamesmanship, joined NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
    Josh Holder, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Linux updates never steal focus or intrudes on your work.
    Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • That’s melanin—the same pigment that darkens human skin—which fungi use to protect themselves against other, intruding fungi.
    Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The array of messages from Johnson midway into his term paint a picture of a freshman executive entrenching further into his identity as a Black mayor after two years of steep setbacks and attacks on his leadership abilities.
    Regina Garcia Cano, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
  • After moving to Thursday at 8 p.m. ET in season four, The Big Bang Theory was firmly entrenched in the top 10.
    Marc Berman, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Infringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infringe. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on infringe

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