Synonym Chooser

How does the verb abrogate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of abrogate are annul, invalidate, negate, and nullify. While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," abrogate is like annul but more definitely implies a legal or official act.

a law to abrogate trading privileges

When is it sensible to use annul instead of abrogate?

The words annul and abrogate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

the treaty annuls all previous agreements

When could invalidate be used to replace abrogate?

The synonyms invalidate and abrogate are sometimes interchangeable, but invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness.

the court invalidated the statute

When might negate be a better fit than abrogate?

While the synonyms negate and abrogate are close in meaning, negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

In what contexts can nullify take the place of abrogate?

Although the words nullify and abrogate have much in common, nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something.

a penalty nullified the touchdown

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abrogate When it was abrogated over a monetary policy dispute in October 1987, the dollar was in virtual free fall as Treasury yields surged by 0.5% and the U.S. stock market sold off by more 20% in a single day. Nick Sargen, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 Trump abrogated that deal during his first term, pulling the U.S. out of it, giving Iran the rationale to restart its program. Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025 Penn can and should be upgraded to accommodate greater capacity, abrogating Amtrak’s seizure of Block 780. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2025 Revealing the continued potency of the issue, Reagan’s campaign was inundated with letters begging him to abrogate the treaties and maintain American power abroad should he be elected. Aaron Coy Moulton / Made By History, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for abrogate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrogate
Verb
  • Greer wrote that Anderson should have received the death penalty, a sentence abolished in Wisconsin since the 19th century.
    Ariela Lopez, jsonline.com, 2 Aug. 2025
  • But our colleague David Aldridge wrote earlier this year in favor of abolishing the draft.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • Unlike the Biden administration, Trump officials have not fought in the courts to preserve SAVE, and recently, Congress repealed the plan altogether.
    Annie Nova, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Amending or repealing the 22nd Amendment would require a two-thirds supermajority in both houses of Congress as well as ratification by at least 38 state legislatures—a process considered extremely difficult.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • Since 1962, the game has been canceled only three times: in 2011 (lockout), 2016 (bad field conditions) and 2020 (pandemic).
    Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 31 July 2025
  • Peru Peru’s national emergency center has canceled tsunami alerts for the country’s entire coast as of 9:15 p.m. local time (10:15 p.m. ET).
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrogate. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on abrogate

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