1
as in to cancel
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
the company called the furniture store to repeal the order for six new desks
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abolish
to put an end to by formal action
in 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the Prohibition Amendment of 1919, thus making the sale, distribution, and use of alcohol legal once again
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to renounce
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to)
if I find that you have been lying about this, I'll instantly repeal every promise I made to you
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1
as in cancellation
the act of putting an end to something planned or previously agreed to
the long overdue repeal of laws prohibiting interracial marriage
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2
as in abolition
the doing away with something by formal action
the repeal of Prohibition during Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of repeal
Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
The top contribution on the side in favor of repealing Lakewood’s rezoning, which was supported by three issue committees, is $2,500.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 2 Apr. 2026
This is not a marginal activity but a consolidated and expanding sector that has operated under a legal framework since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, and whose sustainability depends largely on the visibility of legal operators.
—Cláudia Nunes, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repeal
Verb
The study found no effect on the rate of suicides, but showed higher rates of homicides and gun homicides in places where Sunday bans on alcohol sales has been repealed.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
The top contribution on the side in favor of repealing Lakewood’s rezoning, which was supported by three issue committees, is $2,500.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
In February, Zeldin announced a repeal of the endangerment finding, the legal basis by which the government regulates greenhouse gas emissions.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 2 Apr. 2026
This is not a marginal activity but a consolidated and expanding sector that has operated under a legal framework since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, and whose sustainability depends largely on the visibility of legal operators.
—Cláudia Nunes, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for repeal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repeal
Verb
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The agency has reportedly cancelled or delayed more than a billion dollars of grants for programs like school desegregation and disability services.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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In the video, Cardi B yelled at the top of her voice, threatening to cancel her concert.—
DeAsia Paige,
AJC.com,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His platform includes defending science and abolishing ICE and the Electoral College.—
Gabriel Debenedetti,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Defunding police is as dumb as abolishing ICE.—
Wendy Murphy,
Boston Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Philip Fong | Afp | Getty Images Japan renounced war under Article 9 of its post-World War II pacifist constitution.—
Sam Meredith,Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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Miami will have the ability to use multiple sizable salary cap exceptions if Wiggins opts out or if Wiggins stays but Miami renounces Powell, which remove his cap hold and eliminate his Bird rights.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For maximum comfort and quiet, Beats Studio Pro Over-ear Headphones deliver effective noise cancellation that noticeably reduces engine hum and cabin chatter, making movies, music, and podcasts far more enjoyable.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
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The Archdiocese of Miami is making a desperate plea to the federal government, asking it to reconsider the cancellation of an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities that funds a shelter for unaccompanied migrant children in South Florida.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Establishment of federal observers The key contribution of the Voting Rights Act that Americans are typically taught about in school is its abolition of racial discrimination in voting.—
Allison Mashell Mitchell,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
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The temperance, abolition, and civil-rights movements in America were all motivated in part by religious convictions.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The three-block stretch, between 16th and 19th avenues, looks markedly different from just a year ago, when tents, abandoned cars and piles of trash crowded the street and sidewalks.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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What to read next The USSR withdraws troops from the border with Afghanistan, as Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev abandons invasion plans to focus his resources on the Space Race.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Detectives said a passerby found the 60-year-old man partially sitting in a wheelchair that was overturned.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Prior to his 2011 conviction, Jeffs was charged and convicted of being an accomplice to rape in September 2007 after coercing a 14-year-old to marry her 19-year-old cousin, though the ruling was later overturned by the Utah Supreme Court over faulty jury instructions, according to CBS News.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In turn, Canadian prosecutors will withdraw all 14 murder charges laid against Kenneth Law, lawyer Matthew Gourlay told CBC News.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
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When the San Francisco Chronicle published its investigation, Swalwell’s campaign collapsed within 48 hours, indicating that the evidence was sufficiently substantial to immediately persuade political allies, campaign chairs, and fellow Democrats to withdraw their support.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repeal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repeal. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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