annul

verb

an·​nul ə-ˈnəl How to pronounce annul (audio)
annulled; annulling

transitive verb

1
: to declare or make legally invalid or void
wants the marriage annulled
His title to the estate was annulled.
2
: to reduce to nothing : obliterate
3
: to make ineffective or inoperative : neutralize
annul a drug's effect
Choose the Right Synonym for annul

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 annul in a Sentence

unfortunately, his arrogant attitude annuls the many generous favors he does for people plans to annul their short-lived, ill-advised marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Their union, however, results in an unpleasant collision with reality when Vanya’s family’s henchmen come to annul it. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2024 The club decided to annul Yoo's results from rounds 1-5 of the competition and adjust tournament standings accordingly, meaning competitors scheduled to play against him would receive an additional rest day. Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024 Meanwhile, 761 Russians in Latvia have had their residence permits annulled since the start of the war, without explanation. Irina Borogan, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2022 But these laws, which have been adopted incrementally over time, are not formally defined, and most of them can be amended or annulled by a plurality of votes in the Knesset, just like any other law. Dahlia Scheindlin, Foreign Affairs, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for annul 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English annullen, from Anglo-French annuller, from Late Latin annullare, from Latin ad- + nullus not any — more at null

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of annul was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near annul

Cite this Entry

“Annul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annul. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

annul

verb
an·​nul ə-ˈnəl How to pronounce annul (audio)
annulled; annulling
1
: to make ineffective : neutralize
2
: to bring to an end legally
annul a marriage
annulment
ə-ˈnəl-mənt
noun

Legal Definition

annul

transitive verb
an·​nul ə-ˈnəl How to pronounce annul (audio)
annulled; annulling
1
: to declare (a marriage) to have never validly existed compare divorce
2
a
: to make legally void
b
: to declare to no longer have legal effect

More from Merriam-Webster on annul

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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