vi·o·late
ˈvī-ə-ˌlāt 
violated; violating
2
: to do harm to the person or especially the chastity of
specifically
: rape sense 1
3
: to fail to show proper respect for : profane
violate a shrine
Examples of violate in a Sentence
Verb
He was arrested for violating his parole.
The company violated its customers' privacy.
She was attacked and violated by an unknown intruder.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Unintentional bias or disproportionate outcomes alone do not violate the statute.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
That one also violated the rules of golf, as the heel of a putter to the toe must not exceed seven inches.
—Brooks Peck, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Police can issue citations to self-driving vehicles' registered owners under a variety of circumstances, including if the car violates a traffic law resulting in a collision.
—Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for violate
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Verb
Last year, the Department of Justice sued Legends for violating federal waiting period requirements related to its acquisition of ASM Global, which was the former operator of Pechanga Arena San Diego.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Unintentional bias or disproportionate outcomes alone do not violate the statute.
—Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
That one also violated the rules of golf, as the heel of a putter to the toe must not exceed seven inches.
—Brooks Peck, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Police can issue citations to self-driving vehicles' registered owners under a variety of circumstances, including if the car violates a traffic law resulting in a collision.
—Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for violate
Cite this Entry
“Violate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
violate
transitive verb
vi·o·late
ˈvī-ə-ˌlāt
violated; violating
: to go against (as a prohibition or principle) : fail to observe or respect
violate a law
civil rights were violated
violate due process
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