1
as in breaks
to fail to keep
you've violated the company's rule against smoking within 30 feet of the building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroys
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
the invaders violated the temple by using it to stable their horses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rapes
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent
criminal statutes delineating acts that constitute violating another person
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 violates
The Supreme Court said Colorado's ban on conversion therapy for minors violates the free speech rights of a Christian counselor.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Israeli rights groups and international organizations say the law violates international law and discriminates against Palestinians through unequal application across courts.
—Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
An 8-1 high court majority sided with a Christian counselor who argues the law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a Colorado ban on conversion therapy violates the First Amendment, potentially invalidating other state laws like California’s that have long prohibited the practice as junk science.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The question before the Supreme Court is whether the president's executive order on birthright citizenship violates the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment and a provision of federal law that codified that clause.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Nunley scheduled an April 7 hearing in the case to review whether the deal violates antitrust law and warrants a preliminary injunction to stop it.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 30 Mar. 2026
The Republican National Committee, which brought the lawsuit, alleges the policy violates federal law establishing the Tuesday after the first Monday in November as the day for election of members of the House, Senate, and presidential electors, in specified years.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut and Virginia — argued in a lawsuit filed Wednesday night that the merger violates federal antitrust laws and warned of price hikes for consumers.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Israeli rights groups and international organizations say the law violates international law and discriminates against Palestinians through unequal application across courts.
—Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
An 8-1 high court majority sided with a Christian counselor who argues the law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment.
—Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a Colorado ban on conversion therapy violates the First Amendment, potentially invalidating other state laws like California’s that have long prohibited the practice as junk science.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The question before the Supreme Court is whether the president's executive order on birthright citizenship violates the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment and a provision of federal law that codified that clause.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Nunley scheduled an April 7 hearing in the case to review whether the deal violates antitrust law and warrants a preliminary injunction to stop it.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 30 Mar. 2026
The Republican National Committee, which brought the lawsuit, alleges the policy violates federal law establishing the Tuesday after the first Monday in November as the day for election of members of the House, Senate, and presidential electors, in specified years.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
The states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut and Virginia — argued in a lawsuit filed Wednesday night that the merger violates federal antitrust laws and warned of price hikes for consumers.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for violates
Verb
-
Antonelli breaks a record set by Lewis Hamilton in 2007, when the 22-year-old led the world championship in his rookie season.—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The first choice For every assistant coach looking to lead their own program, their first job often makes or breaks their careers.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The extreme heat kills the plant tissue immediately and typically destroys the roots of many weed species.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Intrigued, the Duke secretly seduces Gilda, breaks her heart and destroys Rigoletto’s life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And when her brother-in-law, Stanley (Marlon Brando), rapes her, her descent into madness was made all the more vivid and believable by Leigh's precise depiction of vulnerability and instability.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The girl vomited and went to lie down where Marino allegedly rapes her, the prosecutor added.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ukraine's skeleton racer and flag bearer Vladyslav Heraskevych was seen wearing his helmet honoring athletes from his country who were killed during the war with Russia in training this afternoon, despite the IOC saying earlier that the helmet contravenes the Olympic Charter guidelines.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Trump seems unconcerned that extorting his partners contravenes the principles of what was designed as a free-trade accord.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Nothing beats cuteness except watching violence be enacted upon the cuteness; like an aural Happy Tree Friends, Skulls tosses pom-poms of fuzz into the sky then desecrates them.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
17 Dec. 2025
-
In the world of Monster, a person who takes lives and desecrates corpses might someday be capable of redemption.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The Kid also physically assaults Apollonia at one point.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Obviously the blandness of a tan wall offends them.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Mar. 2026
-
If that language offends you — come on.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Moral and intellectual descent is inherent in a political project that sets out to undermine liberal democracy, reject the inclusive egalitarianism of modern America, find enemies to demonize, and heroize a leader who defiles common decency.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
24 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Violates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violates. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
