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

If Democrats are successful in striking down the Homeland Security spending package, some hinted at comprehensive immigration reforms to follow. —Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026

This is the famous case where the Supreme Court struck down an important part of the Voting Rights Act that prevented Southern states from restricting the vote, apparently on the basis of race. —Andrea Katz, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026

That decision struck down race-conscious admissions. —Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Chuck Hatfield, a prominent Missouri attorney who sued to strike down the law, told The Star on Friday that the ruling was a reminder to state lawmakers, who often combine multiple provisions in bills in violation of the state constitution. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 Jan. 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