negate

verb

ne·​gate ni-ˈgāt 

negated; negating

transitive verb

1

: to deny the existence or truth of

negated and denied her own honest reactions

—Sara H. Hay

2

: to cause to be ineffective or invalid

Alcohol can negate the effects of some medicines.

negate noun

negator

ni-ˈgā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• contradict
• deny
• disaffirm
• disallow
• disavow
• disclaim
• disconfirm
• disown
• gainsay
• negative
• refute
• reject
• repudiate

Choose the Right Synonym for negate

nullify, negate, annul, abrogate, invalidate mean to deprive of effective or continued existence.

nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something.

a penalty nullified the touchdown

negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

the treaty annuls all previous agreements

abrogate is like annul but more definitely implies a legal or official act.

a law to abrogate trading privileges

invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness.

the court invalidated the statute

Examples of negate in a Sentence

The fact that she lied about her work experience negated the contract.

a verb that is negated by “not”

Recent Examples on the Web

So that just negates everything to me that’s being said after that. —Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Apr. 2024

The Heat’s incredible three-point shooting display negated the Celtics’ 46-26 edge in the paint in Game 2. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024

Once upon a time, under Universal Studios’ watchful Minion eye, there was a Storybook house in Studio City with a steep, sagging roof, a towering, tottering chimney and a yard so boring and prone to flooding that its charm was pretty much negated. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024

If, through a peace initiative, the West negated these perceptions, Russian public opinion could turn against sacrificing tens of thousands more Russian lives in a war no longer seen as defensive. —Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

The advent of the wristwatch negated its function entirely, with the wearer’s three-dimensional movements keeping accuracy in check. —The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

Whatever lies beneath Amazon’s sordid underbelly doesn’t unilaterally negate the genuine good a service like Amazon Pharmacy can have on the world. —Steven Aquino, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024

In addition, negating painful memories and trying to proceed as if everything is normal contorts one’s emotional life and results in untoward effects. —George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024

In the 34th minute, an apparent breakaway goal by Anders was negated by an obvious offside penalty. —Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin negātus, past participle of negāre "to say (with the negative of a conjoined clause), deny, withhold, say no," delocutive derivative of nec "no, not" — more at neglect entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

negate

verb

ne·​gate ni-ˈgāt 

negated; negating

1

: to deny the existence or truth of

2

: to cause to be ineffective or invalid

the discovery negates all previous theories