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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Dissimilar Words
1
as in veto
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in mandate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of countermand
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 June 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
Their instructions in effect countermanded the order of Mr. Musk across much of the government, challenging the broad authority President Trump has given the world’s richest man to make drastic changes to the federal bureaucracy.
—Chris Cameron, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
The concept of a deep state is valuable in its original context, the study of developing countries such as Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey, where shadowy elites in the military and government ministries have been known to countermand or simply defy democratic directives.
—Jon D. Michaels, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for countermand
Verb
We also were concerned that if the anti-congestion pricing Donald Trump was returned to the White House, the tolls that began later on would be at a greater risk of being countermanded by Washington.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 June 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
Their instructions in effect countermanded the order of Mr. Musk across much of the government, challenging the broad authority President Trump has given the world’s richest man to make drastic changes to the federal bureaucracy.
—Chris Cameron, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025
The concept of a deep state is valuable in its original context, the study of developing countries such as Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey, where shadowy elites in the military and government ministries have been known to countermand or simply defy democratic directives.
—Jon D. Michaels, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017
See All Example Sentences for countermand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for countermand
Verb
-
Writing for the 4-3 majority of the court, Justice Shawn Womack overturned a decision by 16th Judicial Circuit Judge Holly Meyer requiring the Cleburne County Clerk to count the signatures on the petition and certify the measure, which had initially been pushed for the 2024 election.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Helm topples trees, uproots crops, overturns feed stacks, steals loose blankets.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In an eleventh-hour attempt to politically have their cake and eat it too, Senate Democrats followed their 13th consecutive veto of the GOP’s clean spending bill, which would reopen the government.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
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Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of Assembly Bill 255 makes stories like Michelle’s almost impossible to repeat within the state’s homelessness system.—
Michele Steeb,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Fed's policymakers are weighing their dual mandates of keeping prices stable and maximizing employment after months of weaker-than-expected jobs reports.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Except that the European Parliament decided that this mandate was a no-go.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Barca and Madrid reactions to the Miami game being cancelled was certainly divergent, and there will be lingering tension in the Bernabeu’s VIP areas on Sunday.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The principal didn’t immediately realize the alert had been canceled, a spokesperson for Baltimore County Public Schools told WBAL.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For most people, the average cost would be less than $15 a month, but the override will have a big impact on students, said Heather Gossler, a teacher at Williams Field High School.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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Nearly 200 of the state’s 351 cities and towns have pursued zero overrides over the past 15 years, the MMA found in its study.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The number of foreign residents has risen sharply in recent years, reaching a record 3 percent of the population in 2024, as Tokyo cautiously loosened visa rules for workers in key industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and caregiving.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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However, Laporta has now become closer to La Liga president Tebas, as Barca have looked for more flexibility in meeting the competition’s strict financial sustainability rules.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The administration has also detained and revoked the visas of several activists supportive of Palestinian causes.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Upon taking office later that month, former President Joe Biden moved to narrow the scope of the lease in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, placing a temporary moratorium on oil and gas activity in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and revoked the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
Cite this Entry
“Countermand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/countermand. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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