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

The Supreme Court added on to Trump’s political troubles last week with a ruling that struck down many of his sweeping global tariffs, a central plank of his economic and foreign policy agenda. —Nik Popli, Time, 23 Feb. 2026

His phone told him the Supreme Court had struck down key tariffs by the White House, a decision that’s been anticipated for months. —Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026

In a 6–3 decision on Friday, the justices ruled that Trump overstepped by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to levy tariffs throughout much of 2025, striking down portions of the duties on steel, aluminum, and some Chinese imports. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026

The move comes one day after the Supreme Court struck down the president's use of emergency powers to impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 Feb. 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