negate

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as in to discredit
to think not to be true or real you simply can't negate your feelings for someone, even if they don't feel the same way about you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb negate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of negate are abrogate, annul, invalidate, and nullify. While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

How do abrogate and annul relate to one another, in the sense of negate?

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 negate?

The words annul and negate can be used in similar contexts, but 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 negate?

The synonyms invalidate and negate 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 nullify be a better fit than negate?

In some situations, the words nullify and negate are roughly equivalent. However, 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 negate Her dominance freed defenders to apply pressure on Portland (4-4-3) and negate the Thorns’ space to operate. Devin Bradshaw, Mercury News, 7 June 2025 But the umpires converged and decided Beck had caught the ball and dropped it while transferring it out of the glove, negating the double play and making it 3-1. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2025 Both practices negate the rule of one-third, exposing lawns to unnecessary stress. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 June 2025 The Ballymaloe Cookbook, first published in 1977, underscores the school’s humble philosophy, formed by Allen’s mother, Myrtle: The use of fresh, high-quality ingredients negates the need for complicated or fancy techniques. Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for negate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negate
Verb
  • New York has been denied permission to speak with multiple sitting head coaches, including Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, who used to coach Jalen Brunson.
    Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
  • In 2022, Republic, which Bedford has helmed since 1999, requested that be halved to 750 hours, which the FAA denied.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • About 7 of every 10 Republicans wouldn't abolish ICE, while about half of Democrats would.
    Jim Sergent, USA Today, 14 June 2025
  • The Japanese legislature is preparing to abolish this entanglement and simply allow princesses to stay royal regardless of the status of their spouse.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Verb
  • Terrible policy Perhaps Gabbard is sounding the alarm to discredit efforts — including a sanctions bill held up in Congress pending a green light from Trump — to pressure Putin into a meaningful negotiation on ending his war.
    Marc Champion, Mercury News, 13 June 2025
  • The irony is that the FTC is blind to the meaning of such substantial investment from Amazon, the very investment that thoroughly discredits the FTC’s case.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Verb
  • Reports on the ground refuted those characterizations.
    Jeremy Pressman, The Conversation, 15 June 2025
  • But Burton, the stepfather, refuted claims that Williams was violent toward his family.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 15 June 2025
Verb
  • Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Tuesday that promises to reopen Panhandle beaches to the public, repealing a 2018 state law that allowed beachfront property owners to close off miles of local shoreline to residents.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • The Legislature previously swatted two attempts earlier this year to repeal that law and ban trans girls from sports.
    Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • That kind of backlash prompted officials in La Mesa, Oceanside, Vista and Carlsbad to reject digital billboard proposals.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 June 2025
  • In response, Congress passed legislation seeking to limit a president's ability to wage war against Iran, which was again quickly rejected by Trump.
    Mariam Khan, ABC News, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Senate lawmakers from both parties clashed with Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, on Wednesday over the Trump administration's proposal to cancel billions in federal spending on foreign aid, public broadcasting and global health programs.
    Sonam Sheth Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • After four seasons, HGTV has cancelled Married to Real Estate, the home renovation series hosted by Egypt Sherrod and her husband Mike Jackson.
    Nick Caruso, TVLine, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Several groups have begun paying street vendors in California to temporarily stop working in public areas to avoid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
  • But Augustin pleaded guilty to second-degree assault as a hate crime, avoiding even more prison time if he had been convicted by a Queens jury on the manslaughter charge.
    Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Negate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on negate

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