violate
/ˈvaɪəleɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvaɪəleɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvī-ə-ˌlāt/ (ame, mw)
violate — verb
- violatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- violateshe / she / it
- violatedpast simple
- violating-ing form
1. to do something that is not allowed by a law, rule, agreement, or accepted stand
to do something that is not allowed by a law, rule, agreement, or accepted standard — for example, driving over the speed limit, breaking a contract, or ignoring a basic moral principle.
The company violated safety rules by removing the fire alarms from the building.
collocation: violate + safety rules / regulations
Tariro violated the terms of her contract when she started working for a competitor.
collocation: violate + terms of an agreement
The new parking rule was violated by dozens of drivers on its first day.
Hoa refused to violate his principles even when the manager offered him a promotion.
It is against the law for landlords to violate safety standards for rented homes.
- break
everyday word; less formal than 'violate'. 'He broke the rules' vs 'He violated the terms of the agreement.'
- breach
more formal, stronger legal tone. Used for contracts, security, diplomatic relations.
- infringe
used especially for rights, patents, copyrights. Suggests gradual or partial overstepping.
文法句型
violate + noun phrase (law/agreement/rule/principle)
用法筆記
Frequently used with direct objects naming official systems: law, regulation, rule, agreement, contract, treaty, code, principle, standard. The passive form (be violated) is common in reporting and legal contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to enter or interfere with a person's private space, peace, or territory in a wa
to enter or interfere with a person's private space, peace, or territory in a way that shows a lack of respect — for example, going into someone's home without permission, listening to private conversations, or sending noisy activity into a quiet area.
The journalist violated the family's privacy by waiting outside their gate with a camera.
collocation: violate + (someone's) privacy
Lukas felt the loud music from the nightclub violated the peace of the entire neighbourhood.
collocation: violate + peace of [a place]
Foreign aircraft violated the country's airspace without permission on three separate occasions.
Karim complained that the search of his bag at the store violated his personal space.
The new security system was designed to protect data without violating anyone's right to privacy.
- invade
strong physical entry into territory or space; 'violate' emphasises disrespect more than physical force.
- intrude on/upon
less forceful; suggests entering where one is unwelcome rather than crossing a boundary aggressively.
- respect
used with privacy, space, and boundaries.
文法句型
violate + noun phrase (privacy/peace/space/territory)
用法筆記
Common collocates include privacy, peace, space, territory, airspace, sanctity, and boundaries. This sense overlaps with 'invade' but 'violate' carries a stronger moral judgement of disrespect.
常見錯誤
3. to make a person engage in sexual activity without their agreement — a formal ex
to make a person engage in sexual activity without their agreement — a formal expression used in court cases, news reports, and medical writing about serious sexual offences.
In court, the survivor described how the man had violated her in the hotel room.
frequently used in legal testimony / court contexts
The court found the defendant guilty of violating the young woman while she was unconscious.
passive structure: be violated
Aid workers reported that armed groups had violated many women during the long conflict.
Dahlia could not bring herself to report that her neighbour had violated her.
The documentary tells the stories of women who were violated by soldiers during the war.
- rape
the direct, common term; 'violate' is more formal and euphemistic, often used in legal documents.
- sexually assault
broader legal term covering unwanted sexual contact, not only rape.
文法句型
violate + person (direct object)
be violated (passive)
用法筆記
This is a formal, legal term. In everyday conversation, 'rape' or 'sexually assault' are more common. The passive form ('was violated') is frequent in news reporting and court records. Use with care: many survivors prefer language that focuses on the perpetrator's actions rather than describing the survivor as 'violated'.
常見錯誤
4. to damage, spoil, or treat without respect something that is considered holy or
to damage, spoil, or treat without respect something that is considered holy or very important — for example, spray-painting a church, digging up a grave, or burning a national flag.
Vandals violated the ancient temple by painting symbols on its stone walls.
collocation: violate + temple / church / shrine
The company was criticised for violating a sacred burial ground to build a car park.
Someone had violated the cemetery by digging up graves and taking objects from the coffins.
Felipe's work was criticised for violating religious symbols in a way many found offensive.
The protesters felt the new road would violate land that local tribes considered sacred.
文法句型
violate + noun phrase (sacred place/object/symbol)
用法筆記
Subject is typically a person or group; object is a place or object with religious, cultural, or historical importance. 'Desecrate' is a common synonym, though 'violate' often adds a layer of moral outrage. In modern use, can also refer to disrespecting secular symbols of national or cultural importance.
常見錯誤
violate — adjective
- violatepositive
- more violatecomparative
- most violatesuperlative
1. describes something that has been treated without proper respect, damaged, or br
describes something that has been treated without proper respect, damaged, or broken — used for agreements that have been ignored, sacred places that have been damaged, or people who feel their personal boundaries have been crossed.
The violated agreement led to new tensions between the two countries.
Heather felt violated after a stranger broke into her apartment and stole her things.
common pattern: feel violated
The violated cemetery was slowly restored by volunteers from the local community.
The park looked violated after the festival, with trash scattered across every corner.
Her violated sense of trust took months of therapy to rebuild.
- broken
simpler and more neutral; used for agreements, rules, treaties.
- desecrated
stronger religious/taboo sense; only for sacred places and objects.
- breached
formal term for contracts, security, borders.
- respected
opposite when referring to rules, boundaries, or sacred places being treated properly.
文法句型
violated + noun (e.g. violated treaty)
feel violated
用法筆記
When describing a person's emotional state ('She felt violated'), the word expresses a strong sense of having one's boundaries, safety, or dignity broken. This emotional sense is common in personal narratives but avoid overuse in non-serious contexts.