broken the law

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "broken the law" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to someone who has violated legal statutes or regulations. Example: "The defendant has broken the law by committing theft."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It may have broken the law.

The New York Times

"These guys have truly broken the law.

The New York Times

Some may not have broken the law.

The Economist

After all, they have broken the law.

The Economist

They told us we'd broken the law.

The New York Times

He might have broken the law.

The Guardian - Opinion

"'I have not broken the law.

The Guardian

Those journalists have broken the law.

The Guardian - Opinion

You haven't actually broken the law.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

These people have broken the law.

The New York Times

Sure, he had broken the law.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "broken the law", ensure that the context clearly indicates which specific law or legal principle has been violated to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse ethical breaches with legal violations. While an action may be unethical, it doesn't necessarily mean it has "broken the law". Legal terms should be used with precision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "broken the law" functions as a predicate within a sentence, indicating that a subject has violated a legal statute or regulation. It describes an action that is contrary to established legal norms, as affirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "broken the law" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that someone has violated a legal statute. Ludwig's analysis confirms that this phrase is frequently used in news and media, maintaining a neutral register. Alternative phrases such as "violated the law" or "transgressed the law" can provide nuanced variations, but the core meaning remains consistent. When writing, it's essential to ensure the context clearly specifies which law was "broken" to avoid ambiguity, and to differentiate between ethical breaches and actual legal violations. The Ludwig AI also confirms the correctness of this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

violated the law

Replaces "broken" with "violated", offering a more formal tone.

disobeyed the law

Offers a straightforward synonym focusing on the act of not obeying.

transgressed the law

Uses "transgressed" to suggest a more deliberate violation.

infringed the law

Employs "infringed" to emphasize the encroachment upon legal boundaries.

contravened the law

Replaces "broken" with "contravened", indicating direct opposition to the law.

flouted the law

Suggests contemptuous disregard for the law.

defied the law

Uses "defied" to suggest open resistance or disobedience.

ran afoul of the law

Idiomatic expression indicating entanglement with legal issues.

committed an offense

Focuses on the action taken that goes against the law.

acted illegally

Highlights the illegal nature of the action performed.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "broken the law"?

You can use alternatives like "violated the law", "transgressed the law", or "committed an offense" depending on the context.

How do you use "broken the law" in a sentence?

You can use "broken the law" to indicate that someone has violated a legal statute, such as "The suspect is accused of having "broken the law" by stealing company funds".

What's the difference between "broken the law" and "bent the rules"?

"Broken the law" implies a violation of legal statutes, while "bent the rules" refers to stretching or manipulating rules without necessarily breaking them. Bending the rules is often unethical, but not necessarily illegal.

Is it better to say "broke the law" or "broken the law"?

"Broken the law" is the correct past participle form when used with auxiliary verbs like "have" or "has", as in "He has "broken the law"." "Broke the law" is the simple past tense, as in "He broke the law yesterday".