rescind

verb

re·​scind ri-ˈsind 

rescinded; rescinding; rescinds

transitive verb

1

: to take away : remove

2

a

: take back, cancel

refused to rescind the order

b

: to abrogate (a contract) and restore the parties to the positions they would have occupied had there been no contract

3

: to make void by action of the enacting authority or a superior authority : repeal

rescind an act

rescinder noun

rescindment

ri-ˈsin(d)-mənt 

noun

Did you know?

Rescind and the lesser-known words exscind and prescind all come from the Latin verb scindere, which means "to cut" or "to split." Rescind was adapted from its Latin predecessor rescindere in the 16th century, and prescind (from praescindere) and exscind (from exscindere) followed in the next century. Exscind means "to cut off" or "to excise," and prescind means "to withdraw one's attention," but of the three borrowings, only rescind established itself as a common English term. Today, rescind is most often heard in contexts having to do with someone rescinding a contract or an offer, or with a legislative body rescinding a law.

Synonyms

• abandon
• abort
• call
• call off
• cancel
• cry off
• drop
• recall
• repeal
• revoke
• scrap
• scrub

Examples of rescind in a Sentence

The enemies these efforts made for him concocted charges of disloyalty, and following a hearing before the Atomic Energy Commission in 1954, Oppenheimer's security clearance was rescinded. —Kai Bird et al., Smithsonian, Aug. 2005

But Maria convinced Leverich that she had the authority to rescind the executor's decision to appoint him as biographer. —John Lahr, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 1994

The Navy barred its personnel from his church, but he challenged the decree in federal court as a constitutional violation of freedom of religion. Eventually, the Navy rescinded its ban. —Randall Samborn, National Law Journal, 14 Jan. 1991

The navy rescinded its ban on women sailors.

The company later rescinded its offer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Burton was announced as the new host of the 2023 ceremony after the National Book Foundation rescinded initial host Drew Barrymore’s invitation. —Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023

At the time, NBC News had learned from two sources that Baldwin and the special prosecutors had discussed his taking a plea deal but that it was rescinded in the days before their announcement. —Chloe Melas, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2023

The governor protested to the War Department and Wallace had to rescind the order. —Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023

Finance chiefs at companies big and small have been urging Congress to rescind the law. —Mark Maurer, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2023

Republicans took aim at the funding immediately upon taking control of the House this year, voting to rescind the money in a bill that died in the Senate. —Abigail Hauslohner, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2023

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the shelter-in-place policy has been rescinded, effective Saturday. —Simon Montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Oct. 2023

Zibby Owens posted an essay on Tuesday on Substack, explaining why her multimedia company, Zibby Media, had rescinded its National Book Award donation. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023

The latest ruling, announced Wednesday by the Supreme Court, effectively rescinds the financial penalties imposed on UBS in December 2021. —Mauro Orru, WSJ, 15 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French rescinder "to reduce, cut, cancel, break (a contract)," borrowed from Latin rescindere "to remove or lay bare by hewing and cutting, cut or tear open, cancel, annul," from re- re- + scindere "to split, cleave, separate" — more at shed entry 1

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

rescind

verb

re·​scind ri-ˈsind 

1

: cancel sense 2a

rescind a contract

2

: to do away with by legislative action

rescind a law

rescinder noun

rescindment

-mənt 

noun

Legal Definition

rescind

verb

re·​scind ri-ˈsind 

transitive verb

1

: to take back and make void

rescinded its suspension of his license

2

: to abrogate (a contract or transaction) by mutual agreement, judicial decree, or unilateral declaration because of fraud, mistake, duress, misrepresentation, illegality, a breach, or another sufficient ground with both parties restored to their positions before the contract was made compare cancel, terminate

3

: to make void by the same or by a superior authority

rescind a regulation

intransitive verb

: to rescind something (as a contract)

rescindable

-ˈsin-də-bəl

adjective

Etymology

Latin rescindere to cut loose, annul, from re- away, back + scindere to cut, split