transgression
- 01 C1 Advanced
an act that goes against a law, a religious rule, or a moral duty.
a violation of a law, commandment, or duty. Often used in legal or religious contexts to describe a specific instance of wrongdoing.
Simple“The judge decided that his minor transgression did not deserve a prison sentence.”
In context“The committee viewed the unauthorized disclosure of documents as a grave transgression of the organization's ethical guidelines.”
UsageCountable when referring to specific acts; uncountable when referring to the state of breaking rules.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
doing something that is not usually accepted by society or goes beyond normal limits.
an act that exceeds generally accepted social, artistic, or behavioral boundaries.
Simple“Her new film explores the transgression of traditional gender roles in the 1950s.”
In context“The artist's work was celebrated for its deliberate transgression of aesthetic norms, challenging the audience's perception of beauty.”
Teacher's tipIn academic writing, this often refers to breaking social 'norms' rather than literal laws.
SynonymsinfringementoversteppingAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
a rise in sea level that causes the ocean to cover land that was previously dry.
a relative rise in sea level resulting in the deposition of marine strata over terrestrial strata.
Simple“The geological record shows a major marine transgression that occurred millions of years ago.”
In context“During periods of global warming, marine transgression can lead to the flooding of coastal basins and significant changes in sedimentary patterns.”
UsageUsually refers to 'marine transgression' in a geological context.
SynonymsencroachmentsubmergenceAntonyms
“As they get older, their sense of fairness becomes increasingly sophisticated: They not only expect violations to be punished but also understand that punishment should be proportional to the severity of a transgression.”
“What they share is an ideology that men ought to dominate women, that transgression of the natural gender order deserves punishment and that violence in service of restoring the natural gender order is legitimate.”
From Middle English transgressioun, from Old French transgression, from Late Latin trānsgressiō, from Latin trānsgressus (perfect active participle of trānsgredior (“I step across”)) + -iō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.