1
as in canceling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abolishing
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in 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the Prohibition Amendment of 1919, thus making the sale, distribution, and use of alcohol legal once again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in renouncing
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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Recent Examples of repealing
In a statement, the Stop Aurora Pit Bull Ban Team, a group that advocated for repealing the city's breed-specific ban, urged caution in drawing conclusions about the incident.
—
Tori Mason, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
The president has gone so far as repealing a longtime scientific finding that climate change endangers public health and the environment.
—Matthew Daly, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Mar. 2026
Johnson, of the American Cancer Society, pushed back on arguments that repealing the program would save the state money.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
The league instead focused on repealing the fees that were set last June.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Other recommendations included repealing any crime-free nuisance ordinances around housing, establishing an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and creating a program that diverts young people away from the justice system.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
The controversy might make for good ratings and fundraising appeals, but Congress could address the underlying issue simply by repealing the outdated regulation — or eliminating the Federal Communications Commission altogether.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2026
That means repealing private school voucher programs, protecting the separation of church and state, and keeping public funds in public institutions.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The proposals, released this week and which would go into effect in 2027, prioritize making ACA premiums as low as possible — by expanding bare-bones coverage, allowing insurers to skip creating networks of hospitals and doctors, and repealing standardized plan options.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
Tori Mason, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
The president has gone so far as repealing a longtime scientific finding that climate change endangers public health and the environment.
—Matthew Daly, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Mar. 2026
Johnson, of the American Cancer Society, pushed back on arguments that repealing the program would save the state money.
—Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
The league instead focused on repealing the fees that were set last June.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Other recommendations included repealing any crime-free nuisance ordinances around housing, establishing an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Rights and creating a program that diverts young people away from the justice system.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
The controversy might make for good ratings and fundraising appeals, but Congress could address the underlying issue simply by repealing the outdated regulation — or eliminating the Federal Communications Commission altogether.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2026
That means repealing private school voucher programs, protecting the separation of church and state, and keeping public funds in public institutions.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The proposals, released this week and which would go into effect in 2027, prioritize making ACA premiums as low as possible — by expanding bare-bones coverage, allowing insurers to skip creating networks of hospitals and doctors, and repealing standardized plan options.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repealing
Verb
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How about canceling the election altogether, as the king has suggested?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Fuel shortages are keeping doctors and nurses away from work and hospitals are canceling surgeries and delaying vaccines for children and life-saving treatments such as kidney dialysis and radiation therapy.—
Mark Weisbrot,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The clock ran out on a bill aimed at moving Georgia to a new time zone, ending supporters’ hopes of abolishing the chore of changing the clocks twice per year.—
Caleb Groves,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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The National Women’s Soccer League announced a new CBA in the summer of 2024 that included giving players agency on where they are traded and abolishing expansion and collegiate drafts.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Returning to the guitars that characterized the band’s earliest work without renouncing their latter-day synths, MacFarlane gives Graham’s ruminations an urgent tenderness.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
31 Mar. 2026
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The association filed several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the fee, including one that remains pending that argues there should be no cost for renouncing one’s citizenship.—
Matthew Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because of insecurity in eastern Congo, many people are abandoning the few available roads for wooden vessels crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Iran has not said anything about such a joint effort or committed publicly to abandoning uranium enrichment under the conditional ceasefire agreement.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By taking on the condition of a servant, the Son reveals the Father’s glory, overturning the worldly standards that so often distort our conscience.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-3, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses, overturning vehicles and causing widespread power outages.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Scheffler, who tends to keep his golf separate from his home life, had not shared any information since withdrawing from the Houston Open two weeks ago because of the impending birth of his second child.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
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However, legislation passed under the previous Biden administration in December 2023 would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without two-thirds approval from the Senate or an Act of Congress.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In addition to revoking the facility’s main operating license, the state also revoked the professional certification of the facility’s administrator Elena Cuevas and the home health aide registration of an employee, Takesha Jackson.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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The United Arab Emirates, which long had deep commercial ties with Iran, is revoking visas of Iranians in the UAE and may freeze Iran’s assets in country.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The ruthlessness of the producers cutting folk off mid-speech or retracting the microphone and upping the music volume was belittling to those on stage.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 2026
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The actress has no interest in retracting her comments.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repealing. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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