transgress

verb

tran(t)s-ˈgres How to pronounce transgress (audio)
Definition of transgressnext
1
as in to trespass
to commit an offense I didn't realize I was transgressing when I told your sister she looked like she had lost weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to violate
to fail to keep don't even think about transgressing the drug laws of that Asian country, for punishments are severe and there's nothing that our government can do to intervene

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of transgress Marilyn Monroe was one of the most photographed women of her era, but Douglas Kirkland’s photojournalistic style captured the actress’s spontaneous side, transgressing the boundaries of celebrity photography. — Michael Soncin, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026 The film transgresses time to show how greed, faith, desire and the hunger for meaning repeat themselves. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026 He’s gone beyond transgressing political and presidential norms to openly trampling on the Constitution. — Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025 Nothing about the Commission's proceedings, moreover, transgressed the Seventh Amendment's jury trial guarantee. — Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for transgress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transgress
  1. trespass
  2. violate
  3. fall
  4. break
  5. wander
Verb
  • Israel wages war on childhood because a Palestinian child at play is already trespassing upon the future Israel has reserved for itself.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The Tohono O’odham Nation said that even if construction were contained to the Roosevelt Reservation, driving onto tribal land to access the area still constitutes trespassing.
    — Mikella Schuettler, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of trespass
Verb
  • The government characterized Lemon as part of the demonstration, arguing his actions at a church crossed the line from a reporting to a protesting role, violating the First Amendment right to worship and freedom of religion.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Advisors who do have a fiduciary duty and who violate that responsibility can be subject to fairly serious consequences, including regulatory penalties, civil liabilities and criminal charges.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of violate
Verb
  • On the price front, China's residential prices have already fallen by 22% since a 2021 peak, compared with a 67% drop in Japan's after a far greater run-up in prices, the S&P report said.
    — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Insider buying fell 18% to 1,290 buyers, down from 1,580 in the second quarter.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall
Verb
  • Riley was a direct inspiration on the record, and while the Bay Area composer did work with drones, his influence is more poignant here, in the way Schwendener breaks the melody down into pieces and moves them around.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • On a scramble of roughly 20 yards, Katz escaped the pocket, broke tackles and juked defenders in the open field to extend the drive.
    — D’Joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of break
Verb
  • The newfangled internet granted children almost unbridled freedom — and the ability to wander far afield, digitally at least, of where their parents could protect them from harm.
    — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Lodgings are spread out between double-sized bunk beds and a pull-out sofa, but don’t let your mind wander to sleepaway camp territory.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of wander

Browse Nearby Words

transfusing
transgress
transgressed
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Cite this Entry

“Transgress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transgress. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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