3 syllables: in, frac, tion. Stress on frac.
/ˌɪnˈfɹækʃən/
Say it backInfraction is a violation or breach of a rule or law. It denotes a formal offense, typically resulting in a penalty, and is used across legal, regulatory, and security contexts. The term emphasizes the act of breaking a rule rather than the severity of consequences.
"The employee received a warning for a minor infraction of the company’s policy."
"Traffic infraction penalties can vary by jurisdiction."
"Committing an infraction in a secure area could trigger additional security checks."
Say in-FRAC-tion, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ɪnˈfræk.ʃən/. Begin with a short, unstressed /ɪ/ in ‘in’, then a strong /ˈfræk/ with the lips rounded slightly for /æ/ as in ‘cat’, and finish with /ʃən/ where the tongue seals near the palate for the /ʃ/ and the final schwa. Keep the /ɪ/ and /ə/ distinct in careful speech even if relaxed.”,
Two common errors: 1) Slurring the middle syllable and reducing /æ/ to a schwa, which weakens the /fræk/ cluster. 2) Misplacing the /ɪ/ at the start or removing the /n/ in the final syllable, making it ‘in-FRAC-shun’ or ‘in-FRAK-shən.’ Correction: isolate the /ɪ/ in the first syllable, clearly execute /fræk/ with a crisp /k/, and pronounce the final /ən/ as a light, quick schwa followed by a faint n. Practicing with spaced repeats helps lock the rhythm.”,
US tends to clear the /ɪn/ and emphasize /ˈfræk/ with a strong alveolar /t/? No, infraction has /ʃən/ at the end; US: /ɪnˈfræk.ʃən/. UK often has a slightly shorter /ɪ/ and a crisper /tʃ/; AU may reduce the /ɪ/ more and have a softer /ə/ in the final syllable. Primary differences are vowel quality in the first half and the realization of the final /ən/. Overall, stress placement remains on the second syllable across regions.”,
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /fr/ immediately after the unstressed initial vowel and the /tʃ/ ligature in /ʃən/. The /fr/ requires precise lip and tongue coordination, and the /ʃ/ blends with a whispered /ən/ can be delicate in fast speech. Additionally, the sequence contrasts with similar words like ‘infringe’ and ‘fraction,’ making it easy to misplace stress or mispronounce the final /ən/.”],
No, infraction has all its letters pronounced: the initial in-, the stressed fr- cluster, the /æ/ in /fræk/ and the final /ʃən/. Some speakers may slightly reduce the /ɪ/ in rapid speech, but there’s no silent letter. The visual spelling aligns with pronunciation closely: in-FRAC-tion.”]} ,{
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Infraction comes from the late Latin infractiō, from infrāctus, the past participle of infractum, meaning “broken” or “to break.” The prefix in- means “not” or “within,” while fract- derives from frangere, meaning “to break.” The term entered English via legal and administrative usage in the 17th–18th centuries, initially referring to a breaking of a rule or law. Over time, infraction broadened to cover smaller offenses, violations of codes, and breaches of procedure. Its connotation emphasizes the act of breaking rules rather than the severity, distinguishing it from terms like felony or misdemeanor. The word has remained stable in formal registers, frequently appearing in court documents, policy manuals, and security briefs. The root frang- or fract- appears in many related words such as fracture, fraction, and infringe, all sharing the core idea of breaking or cutting through a boundary or rule. First known uses appear in legal commentaries and treatises of the early modern period, aligning with the growth of standardized legal codes in Europe and the expansion of organized systems of penalties for rule violations.
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Words that rhyme with "infraction"
-ion sounds
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