violate

[ vahy-uh-leyt ]

verb (used with object)

, vi·o·lat·ed, vi·o·lat·ing.

1. to act against (a law, principle, promise, agreement, instruction, etc.); break, transgress, or fail to honor:

   He violated city bylaws by building without a permit.

   I’d stay longer, but I don’t want to violate my curfew.

2. to treat (something precious, sacred, beautiful, etc.) with disrespect or contempt; mar or desecrate:

   They feel compelled to speak out against governments that violate human rights.

3. to break through or into by force or without right, as a border, home, property, restricted space, etc.:

   A hostile power has violated our airspace.

   They returned to find that their home had been violated.

4. to break in upon or disturb rudely; interfere thoughtlessly with:

   These surveillance cameras violate my privacy.

5. to molest sexually, especially to rape.

violate

/ ˈvaɪəˌleɪt /

verb

1. to break, disregard, or infringe (a law, agreement, etc)
2. to rape or otherwise sexually assault
3. to disturb rudely or improperly; break in upon
4. to treat irreverently or disrespectfully; outrage

   he violated a sanctuary

5. obsolete.
   to mistreat physically

adjective

1. archaic.
   violated or dishonoured

Derived Forms

• ˈviolative, adjective
• ˌviolaˈbility, noun
• ˈviolably, adverb
• ˈviolable, adjective
• ˌvioˈlation, noun
• ˈvioˌlator, noun

Other Words From

• vi·o·la·tor vi·o·lat·er noun
• pre·vi·o·late verb (used with object) previolated previolating
• re·vi·o·late verb (used with object) reviolated reviolating

Word History and Origins

Origin of violate¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin violātus “treated with violence,” past participle of violāre “to treat with violence, violate,” apparently derivative of violentus violent ( def ) (taking viol- as base); -ate ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of violate¹

C15: from Latin violāre to do violence to, from vīs strength

Example Sentences

The next day, Boslough found that he had been temporarily suspended for violating Nextdoor’s rules about being “helpful, not hurtful.”

From Vox

Any publisher found to be violating the policies in Google News or Google Discover may be dropped from search results.

From Search Engine Land

“We’re looking to see if any department policies were violated by either the officer or his supervisors,” Staffordsmith said.

From ProPublica

This preservation request applies to posts and comments about Dominion that YouTube has removed for violating its terms of use.

From Washington Post

“We need to rein in behavior that violates antitrust law and monopolistic behavior, and Amazon is going to be part of that work,” Jayapal said in an interview.

From Washington Post

Violate the tombs, if she has taken refuge in the abodes of death, far within some passage or hypogeum.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• breach
• contravene
• defy
• disobey
• disregard
• disrupt
• infringe
• offend
• oppose
• tamper with

About This Word

What else does violate mean?

To violate is to breach some code of conduct, often in an egregious manner. It is often used to describe breaking the law or committing physical violence against another–especially rape and sexual assault. In Black slang, to violate someone is personally insulting or assaulting someone.

Where does violate come from?

Violate has violent origins. Indeed, the two words are related. They both come from a Latin root meaning “to treat with violence.”

The verb violate was first recorded in the 1400s for “sexually assaulting or raping someone” and soon after “breaking a rule or law.”

Zoom ahead to the 1960s, when violate expanded as a slang term for “forfeiting one’s parole” due to a violation of its conditions. This of course would result in being sent back to prison.

In the 1990s, violate evolved as a Black slang term for “personally attacking someone,” whether as an insult or assault. We find this violate in hip-hop lyrics, such as Twista’s 1997 “Overdose”: “Violate him but can’t annihilate him.”

Juicy J dropped violate on his 2010 “Niggaz Violate” and Young M.A. on his 2017 “OOOUUU,” showing the spread of this slang sense.

How is violate used in real life?

Violate can be very formal. It’s a word often used in legal and political discourse. Many feel as if others have violated their rights or well-being, for instance.

Myth: Cameras violate an individuals right to privacy and dignity.

Fact: Through redaction technology dignity can be maintained. All our monitors are health and social care professionals.#CPMyths #CamerasInCare ✅ pic.twitter.com/Dof5tv7xBs

— Care Protect (@CareProtectLtd) December 26, 2018

Violate remains a term for sexual abuse or rape. If someone feels violated more generally, they mean they feel they’ve been extremely disrespected.

In slang, if you were to sling insults at someone—or violate them—you’d be hitting them below the belt.

I knew I matured knowing I could violate…. but DON’T 🙌🏽

— Pat Ron (@1tabriaa) December 26, 2018

On a much less serious note, however, people can also violate things or people in more playful ways, especially regarding accepted codes of conduct. Bro code? Don’t violate it. How about a roommate agreement? That also should remain un-violated. If you’re in a healthy competition against someone, violating them can mean the same thing as dominating–or owning–them.

Don’t take your cousin with you because I’ve just absolutely VIOLATED him at monopoly

— Chantelle (@chanthepagan) January 14, 2019

More examples of violate:

“Two complaints made against a physical therapist at South Peninsula Hospital to the state’s licensing board for therapists have been reviewed and closed. An unidentified board member found the therapist did not violate statues or regulations governing the practice.”
—Megan Pacer, Peninsula Clarion, December 2018

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.