What Is Another Way to Say “Non-Compliance”?

Looking for synonyms for non-compliance? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say non-compliance.

  • Disobedience
  • Violation
  • Infringement
  • Defiance
  • Nonconformity
  • Breach
  • Nonadherence
  • Nonobservance
  • Disregard
  • Nonconformance
  • Failure to comply
  • Insubordination
  • Dereliction
  • Contravention
  • Disaffection

Want to learn how to say non-compliance professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Disobedience

Use “disobedience” to describe an act of refusing to follow rules or orders.

  • Example: The employee’s disobedience of company policies resulted in a formal warning.

2. Violation

“Violation” is suitable for describing an action that breaks a law, agreement, or principle.

  • Example: The construction company faced penalties for the violation of environmental regulations.

3. Infringement

Use “infringement” when referring to an action that encroaches on laws, rights, or agreements.

  • Example: The software company sued another firm for infringement of its copyright.

4. Defiance

“Defiance” describes open resistance or refusal to obey authority.

  • Example: The worker’s defiance of safety procedures put everyone at risk.

5. Nonconformity

Use “nonconformity” to describe a failure to match or follow standard norms or rules.

  • Example: The product’s nonconformity with quality standards led to a recall.

6. Breach

“Breach” is used for a specific act of breaking a law, trust, agreement, or standard.

  • Example: The breach of the confidentiality agreement led to legal action.

7. Nonadherence

Use “nonadherence” to describe the failure to follow guidelines, instructions, or prescribed regimes.

  • Example: Patient nonadherence to medication regimens is a major challenge in healthcare.

8. Nonobservance

“Nonobservance” refers to the failure to observe a law, rule, or custom.

  • Example: The nonobservance of the holiday by the new staff was due to a lack of awareness.

9. Disregard

Use “disregard” when someone shows a lack of consideration or attention to rules or standards.

  • Example: The company’s disregard for data protection laws resulted in a hefty fine.

10. Nonconformance

“Nonconformance” is used to describe a failure to meet required standards or specifications.

  • Example: Nonconformance reports were filed after the audit revealed several issues.

11. Failure to Comply

Use “failure to comply” to describe an inability or refusal to act in accordance with a demand or ruling.

  • Example: The failure to comply with fire safety regulations endangers everyone in the building.

12. Insubordination

“Insubordination” refers to an act of willful or intentional refusal to obey an authority figure’s orders.

  • Example: Insubordination towards management was cited as the reason for the employee’s dismissal.

13. Dereliction

Use “dereliction” to describe a deliberate or conscious neglect of duty or responsibilities.

  • Example: The officer was charged with dereliction of duty for failing to act during the emergency.

14. Contravention

“Contravention” is suitable for an action that goes against a law, order, or set of rules.

  • Example: Selling products without a license is a contravention of local business regulations.

15. Disaffection

Use “disaffection” in contexts where non-compliance is due to dissatisfaction or disloyalty, though it’s less commonly used in formal non-compliance contexts.

  • Example: The policy changes led to disaffection among employees, many of whom were considering leaving the company.

Linda Brown