transgress
8 synonyms and 1 antonym for transgress, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To go beyond a limit that has been set.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To go beyond a limit that has been set.
“They sometimes transgressed colonial boundaries, forming border communities with Native Americans and escaped black slaves.”
Etymology
Came into English via Middle English transgressen, from Old French transgresser and Latin transgressus, the past participle of transgredior.
Full origin of transgress →