Meaning & use
non-compliance or noncompliance
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Meanings
noununcountableformallegalbusiness
the failure to obey a rule, law, or instruction.
Grammar: No plural and no article: non-compliance is serious, not a non-compliance.
Patterns
- non-compliance with something
- non-compliance by someone
- be in non-compliance
The company was fined for non-compliance with safety regulations.
Non-compliance with the new tax rules can lead to penalties.
The report found widespread non-compliance among small businesses.
noununcountablemedicalformal
the state of not following a doctor's advice or a treatment plan.
Grammar: Used especially in medical contexts; often followed by with.
Patterns
- non-compliance with treatment
- patient non-compliance
Patient non-compliance with the medication made the illness worse.
Doctors are concerned about non-compliance with follow-up appointments.
Common combinations
- non-compliance with regulations
- The factory was closed because of non-compliance with regulations.
- non-compliance with the law
- Non-compliance with the law may result in a heavy fine.
- risk of non-compliance
- The audit highlighted the risk of non-compliance in several departments.
- patient non-compliance
- Patient non-compliance is a common problem in long-term care.
Synonyms and how they differ
- disobedience
- More general and often used for people, especially children; non-compliance is more formal and used for rules, laws, and treatment.
- violation
- A violation is a specific act of breaking a rule; non-compliance is the general failure to obey.
- breach
- Breach is often used for contracts and laws and suggests a clear breaking of an agreement; non-compliance is broader.
Opposites
Word family
- comply verb
- To act in accordance with a rule or request.
- compliant adjective
- Willing to obey rules or standards.
- compliance noun
- The act of obeying a rule or law.
Commonly confused: non-compliance or noncompliance or noncompliance?
non-compliance or noncompliance vs noncompliance
This is just the American spelling of the same word; British English usually writes non-compliance with a hyphen.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Non-compliance is followed by with and is uncountable, so you cannot say 'a non-compliance' or 'non-compliances.' Option B uses the correct pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-compliance or noncompliance”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.