revoked; revoking
1
: to annul by recalling or taking back : rescind
revoke a will
2
: to bring or call back
: to fail to follow suit when able in a card game in violation of the rules
revoker
noun
Did you know?
Since vocare means "to call" in Latin, to revoke is to "call back". Your driver's license could be revoked after about three convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol; some people's licenses are even revoked for life. You could get your passport revoked if a judge thought you had violated the terms of your bail and suspected you might skip the country. And if you're out of prison on probation and violate the terms of probation, it will probably be revoked and you'll end up back in the slammer.
Examples of revoke in a Sentence
Verb
The judge revoked her driver's license.
Their work permits were revoked.
Their privileges were revoked after they misbehaved.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alice Park, Time, 7 July 2025
Reservations required: Which national parks require them in 2025
Unrelated, the executive order also revokes a presidential memorandum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2017 that promoted a range of diversity and inclusion efforts in the management of national parks and other public lands.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 5 July 2025
Jeff Amy, ajc, 7 Feb. 2023
The judge on the case ruled that MSG could for the most part revoke and refuse to sell tickets to the firms, and both the plaintiffs and defendants have appealed.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for revoke
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
The agencies are also revoking approval for two food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—and plan to approve four new natural colorings for food.
—Alice Park, Time, 7 July 2025
Reservations required: Which national parks require them in 2025
Unrelated, the executive order also revokes a presidential memorandum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2017 that promoted a range of diversity and inclusion efforts in the management of national parks and other public lands.
—Eve Chen, USA Today, 5 July 2025
Noun
The commission could deny applications, revoke certificates or issue fines in cases of companies that break laws or rules.
—Jeff Amy, ajc, 7 Feb. 2023
The judge on the case ruled that MSG could for the most part revoke and refuse to sell tickets to the firms, and both the plaintiffs and defendants have appealed.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 21 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for revoke
Cite this Entry
“Revoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revoke. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
revoke
transitive verb
re·voke
ri-ˈvōk 
revoked; revoking
: to annul by recalling or taking back: as
a
: to destroy the effectiveness of (one's will) by executing another or by an act of destruction (as tearing in half)
b
: to put an end to (a trust)
c
: to withdraw (an offer) especially before acceptance
d
: to withdraw (acceptance of goods) by refusing to keep goods because of nonconformity see also rejection
e
: to take back (as a license or a grant of parole or probation) especially because of misconduct
revoker
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share