annulment

noun

an·​nul·​ment ə-ˈnəl-mənt 

1

: the act of annulling something : the state of being annulled

2

: a judicial or ecclesiastical pronouncement declaring a marriage invalid

Did you know?

Annulment usually applies to marriage. In some states an annulment may be carried out by a court ("judicial annulment"), but annulment is generally practiced by a church ("ecclesiastic annulment"), and principally the Roman Catholic Church, which traditionally hasn't permitted divorce. The usual acceptable reason for annulment is a "failure to consummate" the marriage by having children. Unlike a marriage that ends in divorce, an annulled marriage is considered never to have existed. Other things can be annulled as well, including a contract (if one party fails to comply with its terms) or an election (if it wasn't carried out properly).

Synonyms

• abolition
• repeal
• cancelation

Examples of annulment in a Sentence

an annulment of that hastily conceived marriage can't come too soon

Recent Examples on the Web

But with Matty’s help — in particular her coaxing Grant’s priest into praising his parishioner’s devout Catholicism — the team is able to get an annulment, proving Grant committed fraud by lying about his religious faith to his atheist wife. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025

The court documents cite irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as the reason for divorce, while Cyrus is also seeking an annulment on the grounds of fraud. —Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 11 June 2024

The court documents cited irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as the reason for divorce, with Billy Ray also seeking an annulment on the grounds of fraud. —Becca Longmire, Peoplemag, 28 June 2024

Francis was accused by his critics of acting in this way with his positions on Eucharist for those remarried without a prior annulment and on blessings for gay couples. —Dennis Doyle, The Conversation, 8 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

annulment

noun

an·​nul·​ment ə-ˈnəl-mənt 

1

: the act of annulling : the state of being annulled

2

: a declaration by a court that a marriage is invalid compare divorce