transgress

verb

trans·​gress tran(t)s-ˈgres How to pronounce transgress (audio)
tranz-
transgressed; transgressing; transgresses

intransitive verb

1
: to violate a command or law : sin
2
: to go beyond a boundary or limit

transitive verb

1
: to go beyond limits set or prescribed by : violate
transgress divine law
2
: to pass beyond or go over (a limit or boundary)
transgressive adjective
transgressor noun

Examples of transgress in a Sentence

He who transgresses must seek forgiveness. There are legal consequences for companies that transgress the rules.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The holiday is a celebration of subtle LGBTQ+ drama, pleasure and the past transgressed by costumes painstakingly crafted by their creators. Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 Both pay a price for transgressing the boundaries of what’s deemed acceptable for young white women negotiating the new freedoms of mobility and modernity. Elizabeth Friend, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2024 Moreover, there was the nagging question of whether the tournament would transgress the NCAA’s increasingly fuzzy, but still formal, prohibition against paying athletes to play. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 Sep. 2024 Antidemocratic rhetoric transgresses long-standing norms both of political tolerance and of constitutional limits on power. Christopher Miller, The Conversation, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for transgress 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French transgresser, from Latin transgressus, past participle of transgredi to step beyond or across, from trans- + gradi to step — more at grade entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of transgress was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near transgress

Cite this Entry

“Transgress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transgress. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

transgress

verb
trans·​gress tran(t)s-ˈgres How to pronounce transgress (audio)
tranz-
1
: to go beyond limits set by : violate
transgress divine law
2
: to pass beyond or go over a limit or boundary
3
: to violate a command or law
transgressive adjective
transgressor noun
Etymology

from early French transgresser "to transgress," from Latin transgressus, past participle of transgredi "to step across or beyond," from trans- "across, beyond" and gradi "to step"

Legal Definition

transgress

transitive verb
trans·​gress tranz-ˈgres, trans- How to pronounce transgress (audio)
1
: to go beyond limits set or prescribed by : violate
2
: to pass beyond or go over (a limit or boundary)

intransitive verb

1
: to violate a law
2
: to go beyond a boundary or limit

More from Merriam-Webster on transgress

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!