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.

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countermand

2 of 2

noun

1
as in veto

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2
as in mandate

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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
  • The pork producers group has also intensively lobbied for legislation called the Save Our Bacon Act, which would overturn the state laws.
    — Kenny Torrella, Vox, 9 Sep. 2026
  • It was overturned by the Automatic Ball-Strike System, and Stewart struck out to end the threat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of overturn
Noun
  • If Newsom vetoes the bill, the legislature could decide to hold another vote to override the veto.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ten houseguests will quickly become nine in one night all without an HOH, veto or BB Blockbuster.
    — Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of veto
Noun
  • State subsidies and mandates from Beijing have also encouraged excess production and cutthroat price wars, forcing them to turn to export markets and resulting in nearly a third of Chinese industrial firms operating at a loss.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The guidelines often provide recommendations to districts rather than mandates.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of mandate
Verb
  • Barca saved money on Joao Cancelo after he and Al Hilal cancelled his contract, but he’ll hardly be paid buttons.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Holiday events, parades and fireworks celebrations were canceled across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic because of the extreme heat, USA TODAY previously reported.
    — Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of cancel
Noun
  • Organizations must also monitor output quality by risk, human overrides, false results, escalation volume, complaints, model drift and performance across employee groups.
    — Michael Tyrimos, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Another school district in Colorado has voted to put a mill levy override measure on the ballot this November.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of override
Noun
  • In 2025, World Tennis, the sport’s world governing body, changed the rules, allowing it essentially everywhere.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The main rule is that cows be able to graze 120 days of the year.
    — Vivian Song, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of rule
Verb
  • The Clippers, meanwhile, were hit with a $30 million fine, had five first-round draft picks revoked, saw Ballmer suspended for a year, and (in addition to Frank) longtime business president Gillian Zucker suspended for a year without pay.
    — Law Murray, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Under state law, educators who abandon their contracts after a deadline of 45 calendar days before the start of school could be subject to penalties, including potentially having their teaching certification revoked for one year.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Countermand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countermand. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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