violate a regulation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "violate a regulation" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing actions that break or contravene established rules or laws, particularly in legal, organizational, or compliance contexts. Example: "The company faced penalties after it was discovered that they had violated a regulation regarding safety standards."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A person transferring ownership of a motor vehicle may not violate a regulation prescribed under this section or give a false statement to the transferee in making the disclosure required by such a regulation.

Cornell University

None of these behaviours are likely to violate a regulation or protocol, nevertheless, patients may see them as indicators of caring neglect.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The words "violating a regulation prescribed or order issued under chapter 201 of this title related to accident and incident reporting or investigation" are substituted for "violating. . .

Cornell University

A person violating a regulation prescribed under this subsection shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both.

Cornell University

A person violating a regulation prescribed under this subsection shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both.

Cornell University

Dennis Cochrane, the university president, said the team was suspended for the rest of the school year for violating a regulation on initiations.

The New York Times

Moments after approving the merger of Viacom and CBS, the F.C.C. ruled that Time Warner had violated a regulation that prohibits a company from removing a network's signal during the sweeps rating month and said it would consider what penalty to impose.

The New York Times

The ministry wants to determine if Sovereign should be charged with violating a regulation requiring advance notice of any plan to buy more than 10percentt of the shares in a Korean company.

The New York Times

Next year, trainers will be banned from the Breeders' Cup if they have violated a regulation prohibiting the possession or use of a Class I substance, like cobra venom, in any jurisdiction in the 12 months before the championships.

The New York Times - Sports

The city investigation found that Ms. Kramer had violated a regulation that prohibited verbal abuse, or discipline "by use of language that tends to cause fear, physical or mental distress".

The New York Times

Subject to section 21304 of this title, a person violating a regulation prescribed or order issued under chapter 201 of this title related to accident and incident reporting or investigation, or violating chapters 203 209 of this title or a regulation or requirement prescribed or order issued under chapters 203 209, is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about legal or compliance matters, use "violate a regulation" to clearly and directly indicate a breach of specific rules. This phrase is easily understood in formal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using weaker verbs like "disregard" or "ignore" when you specifically mean a rule has been broken. "Disregard" suggests inattention, while "violate" clearly indicates an infraction with potential consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "violate a regulation" functions as a verb phrase within a sentence, typically acting as the predicate. It describes the action of breaking or contravening an established rule. Ludwig's examples show its use in legal and compliance contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "violate a regulation" is a verb phrase that clearly indicates a breach of a specific rule or law. Ludwig AI identifies its use as grammatically correct and more commonly found in News & Media and Academic writing. Alternatives like "contravene a regulation" or "breach a regulation" can provide similar meanings depending on the desired nuance. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity and precision, particularly in formal contexts. The tool confirms that it effectively conveys the action of breaking established guidelines.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

contravene a regulation

Replaces "violate" with "contravene", indicating a more formal breach.

breach a regulation

Substitutes "violate" with "breach", implying a break or failure to observe a regulation.

infringe a regulation

Replaces "violate" with "infringe", suggesting a trespass or encroachment upon the regulation.

defy a regulation

Substitutes "violate" with "defy", conveying a sense of open resistance or disobedience to the regulation.

disobey a regulation

Replaces "violate" with "disobey", which means to fail or refuse to comply with the regulation.

transgress a regulation

Replaces "violate" with "transgress", suggesting exceeding or overstepping the bounds of the regulation.

act in contravention of a regulation

Expresses the violation as an action against the regulation, rather than a direct violation.

fail to comply with a regulation

Focuses on the failure to adhere to the regulation rather than the act of violating it.

be in breach of a regulation

States the condition of being in violation, emphasizing the state of non-compliance.

run afoul of a regulation

Uses an idiomatic expression meaning to come into conflict with a regulation.

FAQs

How to use "violate a regulation" in a sentence?

You can use "violate a regulation" to describe actions that break established rules or laws, particularly in legal, organizational, or compliance contexts. For example: "The company was fined for actions that "violate a regulation" regarding environmental safety."

What can I say instead of "violate a regulation"?

Alternatives include "contravene a regulation", "breach a regulation", or "infringe a regulation", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "violate a regulation" or "violating a regulation"?

"Violate a regulation" is an infinitive form, often used in general statements or instructions, while "violating a regulation" is a gerund form, typically used to describe an ongoing action or state. For example: "It is illegal to "violate a regulation"." vs. "The company was penalized for "violating a regulation"."

What's the difference between "violate a regulation" and "disobey a regulation"?

"Violate a regulation" implies a formal breach of a rule or law, potentially with legal consequences. "Disobey a regulation" suggests a refusal to comply, which may or may not have formal repercussions depending on the context.