countermand 1 of 2

verb

Definition of countermandnext
as in to overturn
formal to cancel (an order) especially by giving a new order Orders to blow up the bridge were countermanded.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

countermand

2 of 2

noun

1
as in veto

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in mandate

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 countermand
Verb
Advertisement But the Secretary General cannot countermand the nations. — Mark Webber, Time, 24 July 2026 Another said Trump is countermanding the Pentagon, which had made a decision without presidential approval. — Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025 Trump’s Achilles’ heel, where his policies may yet be countermanded by the judicial branch, are his arbitrary tariffs, having their root in a delegation as broad as that for FDR’s National Recovery Administration. — George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 2 July 2025 What remains will be countermanded at the next change in power, the countermander then adding his or her new round of decrees, and on and on. — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for countermand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countermand
  1. overturn
  2. veto
  3. mandate
  4. cancel
  5. override
  6. rule
  7. revoke
  8. overruling
Verb
  • This caused the boat to overturn, sending everyone into the water.
    — David Goodhue October 12, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The databases used to check citizenship against voter registration lists can be outdated, said Freda Levenson, legal director of the ACLU of Ohio, which has sued to overturn the law.
    — Gary Fields, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of overturn
Noun
  • Lamont is required to notify the legislature leaders, who have a veto that never has been used.
    — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The City Council voted 33-17 on Wednesday to override Johnson's veto, one vote shy of the 34 required to do so.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of veto
Noun
  • When algorithms handle tactical execution, a leader’s primary mandate is cultural.
    — Alexandra J. Zanela, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Pro, who joined the museum in March after positions at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and the Seattle Art Museum, said Ryan’s mandate is to elevate learning and public programs to the level of exhibitions.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of mandate
Verb
  • One person was killed in a strike on Riyadh airport, a Saudia Airlines plane was reportedly in flames, and hundreds of flights have been canceled.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • To try to ease tensions during loud stretches of construction, Zuckerberg’s staff handed out gifts like noise-canceling headphones.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of cancel
Noun
  • Denver voters are being asked on the November ballot whether to approve a nearly $44 million mill levy override for Denver Public Schools.
    — Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 3 Oct. 2026
  • That override, escalation, or reversal is the most valuable data your firm produces.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of override
Noun
  • Under today’s rules, someone Jeff and Julie’s age receives 70% of their full-retirement-age benefit by starting at 62, compared with 124% at 70.
    — Ray R. Harris, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Terrestrial Energy wants federal regulators to formally confirm that assembling this turbine wing falls outside federal nuclear construction rules.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of rule
Verb
  • According to the producers, Casparina was in Beijing representing Indonesia at an international forum when her citizenship was revoked over her opposition to the new regime.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Proposals that would reform Section 230 range from adding exceptions for extreme cases to revoking immunity for social media companies altogether.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of revoke
Noun
  • The appropriate remedy is congressional overruling of the Marquette case so as to allow the states to regulate loans to their own citizens.
    — George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 11 Apr. 2026
  • In recent years, the court’s conservative majority overruling of major, longstanding precedents has become a defining feature of Roberts’ tenure.
    — Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of overruling

Browse Nearby Words

counterintelligence
countermand
countermanded
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Countermand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countermand. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of outlandish

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All