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 2018, the Supreme Court struck down the ban, permitting states to decide for themselves. — New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026

Just in June, the justices struck down limits on political parties' spending in coordination with candidates. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

Amid outrage from residents, the village council in Perry had already struck down the Province Group’s initial request for a tax abatement in July, putting the project in limbo. — Sara Herschander, Vox, 5 Nov. 2026

The congressional map was struck down for this election cycle after a lengthy court battle. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 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