violate
/ˈvaɪəleɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvaɪəleɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvī-ə-ˌlāt/ (ame, mw)
violate — 動詞
- 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
違反；觸犯
不遵守法律、規則或協議
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.
這家公司移除了大樓的消防警報器，違反了安全規定。
collocation: violate + safety rules / regulations
Tariro violated the terms of her contract when she started working for a competitor.
Tariro 開始為競爭對手工作，違反了合約條款。
collocation: violate + terms of an agreement
The new parking rule was violated by dozens of drivers on its first day.
這項新的停車規定在實施第一天就被許多駕駛人違反了。
Hoa refused to violate his principles even when the manager offered him a promotion.
即使經理提出升職的條件，Hoa 仍拒絕違背自己的原則。
It is against the law for landlords to violate safety standards for rented homes.
房東不得違反出租住宅的安全標準，這是違法的。
- 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
侵犯；干擾
未經許可闖入私人空間或領地
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.
這名記者拿著攝影機在他們家門口守候，侵犯了這家人的隱私。
collocation: violate + (someone's) privacy
Lukas felt the loud music from the nightclub violated the peace of the entire neighbourhood.
Lukas 覺得夜店的吵鬧音樂打擾了整個社區的安寧。
collocation: violate + peace of [a place]
Foreign aircraft violated the country's airspace without permission on three separate occasions.
外國飛機未經許可三度侵犯該國的領空。
Karim complained that the search of his bag at the store violated his personal space.
Karim 抱怨商店搜他的包包侵犯了他的個人空間。
The new security system was designed to protect data without violating anyone's right to privacy.
這套新的安全系統設計上要保護資料，同時不侵犯任何人的隱私權。
- 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
性侵；強暴
違反他人意願進行性行為
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.
這名倖存者在法庭上描述那名男子如何在飯店房間裡侵害她。
frequently used in legal testimony / court contexts
The court found the defendant guilty of violating the young woman while she was unconscious.
法院判定被告在年輕女子昏迷時性侵她，罪名成立。
passive structure: be violated
Aid workers reported that armed groups had violated many women during the long conflict.
援助工作者通報，在長期的衝突中，武裝團體性侵了許多女性。
Dahlia could not bring herself to report that her neighbour had violated her.
Dahlia 無法鼓起勇氣舉報鄰居對她實施性侵害。
The documentary tells the stories of women who were violated by soldiers during the war.
這部紀錄片講述了戰爭期間遭到軍人性侵的女性們的故事。
- 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
褻瀆；玷汙
損壞或輕蔑對待神聖事物
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.
破壞者在古廟的石牆上塗畫，褻瀆了這座古老的寺廟。
collocation: violate + temple / church / shrine
The company was criticised for violating a sacred burial ground to build a car park.
這家公司因為侵占聖地建造停車場而遭到批評。
Someone had violated the cemetery by digging up graves and taking objects from the coffins.
有人挖掘了墓園裡的墳墓，並從棺材中取走了物品，玷汙了這片墓地。
Felipe's work was criticised for violating religious symbols in a way many found offensive.
Felipe 的作品因以冒犯許多人的方式褻瀆宗教象徵而受到批評。
The protesters felt the new road would violate land that local tribes considered sacred.
抗議者認為這條新道路會褻瀆當地部落視為神聖的土地。
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 — 形容詞
- violatepositive
- more violatecomparative
- most violatesuperlative
1. describes something that has been treated without proper respect, damaged, or br
受侵犯的
遭到破壞或不被尊重的
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.
這項遭到違反的協議導致兩國之間出現新的緊張局勢。
Heather felt violated after a stranger broke into her apartment and stole her things.
Heather 發現陌生人闖入她的公寓偷走東西後，感到自己的隱私受到侵犯。
common pattern: feel violated
The violated cemetery was slowly restored by volunteers from the local community.
這座遭到破壞的墓園由當地社區的義工慢慢修復。
The park looked violated after the festival, with trash scattered across every corner.
音樂節結束後，公園四處散落垃圾，看起來就像被糟蹋過一樣。
Her violated sense of trust took months of therapy to rebuild.
她那份被破壞的信任感花了幾個月的心理治療才慢慢重建。
- 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.