# transgression

/tɹænzˈɡɹɛʃən/ (US) · /tɹænsɡɹˈɛʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/transgression
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. breaking a rule or law

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

an act that goes against a law, a religious rule, or a moral duty.

For teachers: a violation of a law, commandment, or duty. Often used in legal or religious contexts to describe a specific instance of wrongdoing.

- The judge decided that his minor transgression did not deserve a prison sentence.
- The committee viewed the unauthorized disclosure of documents as a grave transgression of the organization's ethical guidelines.

Usage: Countable when referring to specific acts; uncountable when referring to the state of breaking rules.

### 2. crossing a social boundary

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

doing something that is not usually accepted by society or goes beyond normal limits.

For teachers: an act that exceeds generally accepted social, artistic, or behavioral boundaries.

- Her new film explores the transgression of traditional gender roles in the 1950s.
- The artist's work was celebrated for its deliberate transgression of aesthetic norms, challenging the audience's perception of beauty.

Teaching tip: In academic writing, this often refers to breaking social 'norms' rather than literal laws.

### 3. sea level rise

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a rise in sea level that causes the ocean to cover land that was previously dry.

For teachers: a relative rise in sea level resulting in the deposition of marine strata over terrestrial strata.

- The geological record shows a major marine transgression that occurred millions of years ago.
- During periods of global warming, marine transgression can lead to the flooding of coastal basins and significant changes in sedimentary patterns.

Usage: Usually refers to 'marine transgression' in a geological context.

## Examples

- The geologist identified a transgression in the rock layers.
- The fault line caused a significant transgression, shifting the sedimentary layers several kilometers to the north.
- Geological transgressions provide critical evidence for the history of sea level changes, as they indicate periods when marine sediments were deposited over previously terrestrial environments.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.