material breach
A 'material breach' is a serious violation in contract law that justifies termination or other remedies due to its significant impact on the agreement.
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Definition
C1Contract Law
(legal, formal)A significant failure to fulfill a key term of a contract, allowing the other party to terminate the agreement or seek legal remedies.
Example
- The contractor's failure to complete the project on time constituted a material breach, leading to the termination of the contract.
- Due to the material breach, the company was no longer obligated to uphold its end of the agreement.
C2International Law
(legal, formal)A serious violation of a treaty that releases the other parties from their obligations under the agreement.
Example
- The material breach of the treaty by one nation allowed the other signatories to withdraw from their commitments.
- Due to the material breach, the treaty was considered void, and the obligations of the parties were nullified.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "material breach":