countermand

play

verb coun·ter·mand \ˈkau̇n-tər-ˌmand, ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈmand\

Definition of countermand

transitive verb
1 : to revoke (a command) by a contrary order
2 : to recall or order back by a superseding contrary order countermand reinforcements

See countermand defined for English-language learners

See countermand defined for kids

countermand was our Word of the Day on 09/14/2010. Hear the podcast!

Examples of countermand in a Sentence

Orders to blow up the bridge were countermanded.

Recent Examples of countermand from the Web

Numerous leaks in recent days claim the President is at odds with most of his senior team, allegedly deliberately countermanding their best advice like an obstreperous toddler.

— kate maltby, CNN, "Trump is making Theresa May's life miserable," 5 June 2017
But Mr. Trump countermanded them, refusing to make any long-term commitment.

— robert pear, New York Times, "Trump, Shouting ‘Death Spiral,’ Has Nudged Affordable Care Act Downward," 20 May 2017
Bossert countermanded a lower level manager who tried to stop the ball tossing.

— kirk mitchell, The Denver Post, "Racial and sexual discrimination alleged at Denver life insurance company," 23 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'countermand.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In the military, one's mandate is to follow the commands (and sometimes the "countermands") of the officers. Doing their bidding is not particularly commendable - it's simply mandatory. The Latin verb mandare, meaning "to entrust" or "to order," is the authority behind "countermand." It's also behind the words "mandate," "command," "demand," "commend" (which can mean "to entrust" as well as "to praise"), and "mandatory." "Countermand" came to English via Anglo French, where the prefix cuntre- ("against") was combined with the verb "mander" ("to command"). It has been a part of our language since the 1400s.

Origin and Etymology of countermand

Middle English countermaunden, from Anglo-French cuntremander, from cuntre- counter- + mander to command, from Latin mandare — more at mandate

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year