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
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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in 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the Prohibition Amendment of 1919, thus making the sale, distribution, and use of alcohol legal once again
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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
Council members narrowly passed the ordinance repealing the ban by a 7-5 vote, with some voting against the measure as a form of protest.
—
Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
And yet, Mamdani found time to talk about the Knicks’ playoff run, including repealing bedtime so children could watch the NBA Finals.
—David Ingber, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Of course, none of this involves repealing the laws of physics.
—David Szondy
may 31, New Atlas, 31 May 2026
Among those is a provision repealing a state law that prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
—David A. Lieb, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Among those is a provision repealing a state law that prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
—ABC News, 22 May 2026
New York was in the process of repealing many of the punitive drug laws that were passed under Governor Nelson Rockefeller in the nineteen-seventies.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
There is arguably no issue that unifies the online gambling community more than repealing a new tax rule capping gambling deductions to 90% of losses.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026
The board was meeting to discuss updates to the district’s technology policies, including repealing a policy that allows opt outs.
—Sharon Lurye, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
And yet, Mamdani found time to talk about the Knicks’ playoff run, including repealing bedtime so children could watch the NBA Finals.
—David Ingber, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Of course, none of this involves repealing the laws of physics.
—David Szondy
may 31, New Atlas, 31 May 2026
Among those is a provision repealing a state law that prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
—David A. Lieb, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Among those is a provision repealing a state law that prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
—ABC News, 22 May 2026
New York was in the process of repealing many of the punitive drug laws that were passed under Governor Nelson Rockefeller in the nineteen-seventies.
—Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
There is arguably no issue that unifies the online gambling community more than repealing a new tax rule capping gambling deductions to 90% of losses.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 14 May 2026
The board was meeting to discuss updates to the district’s technology policies, including repealing a policy that allows opt outs.
—Sharon Lurye, Fortune, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repealing
Verb
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Trump posted about canceling the strikes soon after the meeting, the officials said.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
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As 404 Media reports, Northern District of Mississippi judge Sharion Aycock berated everybody involved in a sanctions order, ultimately fining them, canceling the trial, and barring half of them from appearing in the district’s court for two years.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Citing his leadership, Senate Republicans in 2023 proposed abolishing the institute and divvying up its functions.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
21 Aug. 2025
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Trump and members of his administration have also repeatedly suggested abolishing the agency — though the president did pave the way for FEMA to assist in relief from the Texas floods in July.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Finally, on the issue of Ukraine renouncing its ambition to become a member of NATO, the source told CNN that this demand remains unacceptable.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
26 Nov. 2025
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The government has cracked down on independent Christian congregations over the past decade, destroying crosses, burning Bibles, shuttering churches and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Iran has said abandoning its enrichment rights is nonnegotiable.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
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The move suggests a broader shift in Tehran, where a new generation of leaders is increasingly abandoning the cautious, reactive approach that long defined the Islamic Republic’s strategy towards its adversaries.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The first touched down in Lady Lake, lifting roofs off homes and overturning mobile homes.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
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Unbelievably, the referee listened to Prince Fahad, before agreeing with him and overturning the goal.—
Jonathan Thompson,
Travel + Leisure,
10 June 2026
Verb
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After battling through injury during Saturday's third round at the RBC Canadian Open, Brooks Koepka opted not to give it a go in the final round, ultimately withdrawing from the PGA Tour event on Sunday morning.—
Mark Harris,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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On Wednesday afternoon, Robert Reeve, attorney for Noble, notified Farmington his client was withdrawing the plan.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
Verb
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The inquiry, announced Tuesday by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, will examine the department’s policies and practices for issuing and revoking licenses to carry firearms, as well as its enforcement of Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
9 June 2026
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The two-week restraining order prohibits the defendants from ordering the flag down and from revoking the group's permit because of the flag.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a recall notice that the seat belts in certain Expedition and Lincoln vehicles may inadvertently lock, preventing the belt from retracting or extending.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
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The Salton Sea has been retracting as the climate has become hotter, leaving behind pesticides and fertilizers in toxic dust from the multibillion-dollar local agricultural industry that blow through our communities, contributing to the asthma crisis facing our children.—
Daniela Flores,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repealing. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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