strike down

verb

struck down; struck down also stricken down; striking down; strikes down

transitive verb

: annul, nullify

The board struck down the appointment.

especially : to declare (a law) illegal and unenforceable

The Supreme Court struck down the law.

Synonyms of strike down

• abolish
• repeal
• cancel
• set aside
• roll back
• avoid
• overturn

Examples of strike down in a Sentence

a law that was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court as unconstitutional

Recent Examples on the Web

In a 6-3 decision in February, the Supreme Court struck down many of his tariffs issued under an emergency powers law. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026

The Israeli Supreme Court could still review or strike down the law. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026

But the administration may be open to adding a blanket tariff like the steel and aluminum levies to bikes, especially now that the Supreme Court has struck down many of its other import taxes. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 29 Mar. 2026

By contrast, laws that appear designed to impede on a religion have been struck down. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for strike down

• chinatown
• tumbledown
• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown

Kids Definition

strike down

verb

: to make null and void : annul

struck down the proposal

especially : to declare (a law) illegal and unenforceable

the court struck down the law

Legal Definition

strike down

transitive verb

: annul, nullify

the trustee…can strike down transfers

—J. J. White and R. S. Summers

especially : to declare (a law) illegal and unenforceable

the court struck down death penalty provisions

—L. H. Tribe