infringe

verb

in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj How to pronounce infringe (audio)
infringed; infringing
Synonyms of infringe

transitive verb

1
: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another
infringe a patent
2
obsolete : defeat, frustrate

intransitive verb

: encroach
—used with on or upon
infringe on our rights
infringer noun

Synonyms of infringe

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Choose the Right Synonym for infringe

trespass, encroach, infringe, invade mean to make inroads upon the property, territory, or rights of another.

trespass implies an unwarranted or unlawful intrusion.

hunters trespassing on farmland

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

infringe implies an encroachment clearly violating a right or prerogative.

infringing a copyright

invade implies a hostile and injurious entry into the territory or sphere of another.

accused of invading their privacy

Examples of infringe in a Sentence

They claim that his use of the name infringes their copyright. Her rights must not be infringed.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On appeal, his attorneys argued that Judge Charlaine Olmedo made a series of remarks and adverse rulings about Scientology that together infringed on his First Amendment rights. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 Billboard first reported that Authentic Brands Group, the licensing group that controls the King’s music and likeness, filed its lawsuit Friday, alleges that Anthropic — the AI giant behind Claude — infringed on the rights of 274 of Presley’s songs. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026 Data from several streaming providers showed that infringing files identified by the government had been accessed more than 8 million times as of November 2025. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Infringing on human rights Monitoring how governments comply with the cybercrime convention is critical to ensuring that governments do not infringe on human rights. — Mary Lind, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infringe

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- + frangere to break — more at break

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of infringe was in 1533

Rhymes for infringe

See All Rhymes for infringe

Browse Nearby Words

infrigidate
infringe
infringement
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infringe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infringe. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

infringe

verb
in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj How to pronounce infringe (audio)
infringed; infringing
1
: to fail to obey or act in agreement with : violate
infringe a treaty
2
: encroach sense 1
infringe on a person's rights
infringement
-mənt
noun
infringer noun

Legal Definition

infringe

verb
in·​fringe in-ˈfrinj How to pronounce infringe (audio)
infringed; infringing

transitive verb

: to encroach upon in a way that violates law or the rights of another
the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed—U.S. Constitution amend. II
especially : to violate a holder's rights under (a copyright, patent, trademark, or trade name)

intransitive verb

: encroach
infringer noun
Etymology

Medieval Latin infringere, from Latin, to break, crush, from in- in + frangere to break

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