VocabuoDictionaryGet the app
verbverb

violare

violate

Definition & meaning

Violare means to violate, breach, or infringe a rule, law, agreement, right, or boundary.

It can also mean to desecrate or profane a sacred place or something considered inviolable. When referring to a person, it can mean to sexually violate or rape them; this is a serious and relatively formal usage.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Verb: transitive, regular first-conjugation verb ending in -are.
  • Past participle: violato.
  • From Latin violare, meaning “to treat with violence,” “injure,” or “violate.”

Synonyms & antonyms

  • infrangere — “to break” a rule or law; often emphasizes breaking an established obligation.
  • trasgredire — “to transgress”; often suggests deliberately going against a rule.
  • profanare — “to desecrate”; specifically applies to sacred things or places.
  • rispettare — “to respect” or “observe”; an opposite when referring to rules, rights, or boundaries.
  • osservare — “to comply with”; an opposite specifically for rules or laws.

Common phrases & collocations

  • violare la legge — to break the law.
  • violare un diritto — to violate a right.
  • violare la privacy — to violate someone’s privacy.
  • violare un accordo — to breach an agreement.

Make “violare” part of your vocabulary.

Build your Italian vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Get Vocabuo on the App StoreGet Vocabuo for Android

Examples

Non voglio violare le regole della scuola.verb

I don't want to violate the school rules.

Keep exploring Italian

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play