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 first would decide whether a campaign called People Not Politicians can place a measure on the ballot to strike down the map, which splits Kansas City. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

For example, in April 2026, voters in Lakewood, Colorado, struck down a missing-middle style zoning reform. — Stefan Chavez-Norgaard, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026

Unlike some of the other statutes Trump has turned to after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping tariffs earlier this year, this trade law, known as Section 338, does not appear to impose a time limit on the duties. — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

O’Connor ruled that historical firearm tradition supports striking down the rule, as mandated by recent Supreme Court precedent that asks courts to consider American history when determining the constitutionality of gun laws. — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 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