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in 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the Prohibition Amendment of 1919, thus making the sale, distribution, and use of alcohol legal once again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
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 measure appears likely to appear on the ballot because the sponsors, the Lincoln Club Business League, plan to rely on the much lower threshold required under state law for measures repealing taxes and fees.
—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make for good ratings and fundraising appeals, but Congress could address the underlying issue simply by repealing the outdated regulation — or eliminating the Federal Communications Commission altogether.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
Funding public schools and repealing the voucher law.
—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
The text of the rule repealing the finding has not yet been released, so many details are still unknown.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
The crux of the Democrats’ deception is that repealing 287(g) will make our communities safer.
—Robin Grammer, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2026
Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026
The measure appears likely to appear on the ballot because the sponsors, the Lincoln Club Business League, plan to rely on the much lower threshold required under state law for measures repealing taxes and fees.
—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
Funding public schools and repealing the voucher law.
—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
The text of the rule repealing the finding has not yet been released, so many details are still unknown.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026
The crux of the Democrats’ deception is that repealing 287(g) will make our communities safer.
—Robin Grammer, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repealing
Verb
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At least one Japanese refiner has started canceling exports of diesel, jet fuel and gasoline for March, and the prospect of higher domestic fuel and power prices could derail Takaichi’s plans to tackle inflation.—
Shoko Oda,
Bloomberg,
5 Mar. 2026
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Now that Iranian forces have threatened to attack any ship entering the Strait, and followed through in several cases, many insurers are cancelling pre-existing war risk policies and looking to renegotiate at higher prices.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The Common Council passed a resolution, which in part supports abolishing ICE, that now heads to Mayor Johnson.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This all comes after reports that Andrew is considering renouncing his spot in the line of succession in order to avoid jail time.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 Mar. 2026
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Its roots are in publicly paying penance for serious sins or crimes in the eyes of the church, like adultery or apostasy, which means renouncing the church and its beliefs.—
Lianna Norman,
Florida Times-Union,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More than a dozen other signs reference a former redlight district, the Civil War, and a presidential party abandoning a leaky ship and swimming to shore.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
11 Mar. 2026
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Agents exchanged unverified data, and discussed abandoning English in favor of a machine-native language.—
Victoria Bousis,
Rolling Stone,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Seda also said that more than 100 vehicles were damaged, with some overturning on the roadside and in parking bays.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
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Last month, in a separate case, Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal handed Lai a rare legal victory by overturning his conviction for fraud and quashing a 69-month sentence.—
Reuters 8 hr ago,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arguing that having a public apology circulating online would be unfair to their client, his attorneys instead handed Rose a paper note containing the apology before quickly withdrawing it.—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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And naive, especially after the Soviet Union spent a decade fighting in Afghanistan to put communist allies in charge, before withdrawing its troops in 1989 amid failure.—
Jill Lawrence,
Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit alleges that the county signed off on more than 90% of the construction before abruptly revoking permits last month because officials learned ICE would occupy the building.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
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Sanctions end | Obama signs an executive order revoking sanctions against Iran that were originally designed as consequences for its nuclear weapons program.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Her delicate proto-shell dangles below, her tiny sails and blossoming eyes retracting at the scent of predators.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
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With retracting landing gear and a striking look, too, this set is ideal for young ones with plenty of imagination.—
Alexander Cox,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Repealing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repealing. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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