infringement

noun

in·​fringe·​ment in-ˈfrinj-mənt How to pronounce infringement (audio)
Synonyms of infringement
1
: the act of infringing : violation
2
: an encroachment or trespass on a right or privilege

Synonyms of infringement

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Examples of infringement in a Sentence

any government action limiting freedom of speech is an infringement of the U.S. Constitution
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.
Last week, rock music photographer Justin Thomas filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against the American painter Elizabeth Peyton, Sotheby’s, and David Zwirner Gallery, as first reported by Copyright Lately. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026 The lawsuit asks for a jury trial, an injunction against ongoing and future copyright infringement and unspecified damages. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 For example, last week indie music publisher Round Hill Music sued Suno and Anthropic, accusing the two AI companies of copyright infringement by illegally scraping hundreds of its songs to train their models without permission. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 23 Aug. 2026 The company alleges trademark infringement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices. — Jason St. Angelo, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infringement

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of infringement was in 1628

Rhymes for infringement

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Browse Nearby Words

infringe
infringement
infringer
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Cite this Entry

“Infringement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infringement. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Legal Definition

infringement

noun
in·​fringe·​ment
: the act or an instance of infringing
especially : the unauthorized use of copyrighted or patented material or of a trademark, trade name, or trade dress see also equivalent, fair use

Note: Infringement of a trademark, trade name, or trade dress involves use of one by the infringer that is the same as that of the owner or so similar that it is likely to deceive or to cause confusion or mistake on the part of the average purchaser. Infringement of a copyright involves the copying of a material and substantial portion of the protected work. If the alleged infringer denies copying, the copyright holder may be able to prove infringement with circumstantial evidence of the infringer's access to the protected work and of similarities between the two works.

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