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
Laura A. Bischoff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Jan. 2026
In the complaint, the federal government says Morgan Hill adopted its ban in 2019 and Petaluma followed with its own in 2021, arguing both measures violate federal law.
—Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
The appellate court ruled that the inaccurate testimony was materially misleading and could have influenced the jury’s decision, violating Andrea Yates’ right to a fair trial.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Fire safety inspections hadn’t been conducted there since 2019, violating regulations requiring annual checks, leading to a criminal investigation of bar managers.
—Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for violate
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Verb
But the jury in the federal civil lawsuit found that Moore violated Gillispie's rights by hiding evidence that would have helped Gillispie's defense and creating unfair lineup procedures for the victims.
—Laura A. Bischoff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Jan. 2026
In the complaint, the federal government says Morgan Hill adopted its ban in 2019 and Petaluma followed with its own in 2021, arguing both measures violate federal law.
—Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
The appellate court ruled that the inaccurate testimony was materially misleading and could have influenced the jury’s decision, violating Andrea Yates’ right to a fair trial.
—Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Fire safety inspections hadn’t been conducted there since 2019, violating regulations requiring annual checks, leading to a criminal investigation of bar managers.
—Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for violate
Cite this Entry
“Violate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violate. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.
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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