rescind

verb

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re·scind | \ ri-ˈsind

rescinded; rescinding; rescinds

Definition of rescind

transitive verb

1 : to take away : remove

2a : 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

Other Words from rescind Synonyms & Antonyms Did you know? More Example Sentences Learn More About rescind

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.

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disloyalty, and following a hearing before the Atomic Energy Commission in 1954, Oppenheimer's security clearance was rescinded.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 Eventually, the Navy rescinded its ban. — Randall Samborn, National Law Journal, 14 Jan. 1991 The navy rescinded its ban on women sailors. The company later rescinded its offer.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 Beshear, a Democrat, called on Biden to rescind Meredith's name. — Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 15 July 2022 Conditions in Alameda County have improved to the point that health officials there have been able to rescind a 3-week-old mask mandate that was in place for most indoor public settings. — Karen Kaplanscience And Medicine Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2022 Several Philadelphia businesses also filed a lawsuit in court seeking to rescind the mandate. — Fox News, 19 Apr. 2022 Attorney Paul Scott called on district officials to rescind the 6-1 vote, claiming the district failed to adequately notify the public that the decision would be final. — Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2021 Companies, feeling the pain, will lay off workers, enact hiring freezes and rescind job offers. — Jack Kelly, Forbes, 6 July 2022 At the time, Mr. Clark was proposing to send a letter to state officials in Georgia falsely stating that the department had evidence that could lead Georgia to rescind its certification of Mr. Biden’s victory in that key swing state. — New York Times, 23 June 2022 Baltimore County schools, which saw fierce resistance from some parents to masking mandates, were among the first in the region to rescind the mask mandate after the state board of education returned the decision to local jurisdictions. — Meredith Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2022 But the better way to eliminate investment uncertainty would be for FERC to rescind the proposal in toto. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 24 Mar. 2022 See More

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

History and Etymology for rescind

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

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reschool

rescind

rescissible

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Last Updated

2 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Rescind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rescind. Accessed 7 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for rescind

rescind

verb

re·scind | \ ri-ˈsind

Legal Definition of rescind

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)