STRIKING DOWN Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

striking down

verb

present participle of strike down

as in abolishing

to put an end to by formal action a law that was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court as unconstitutional

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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 striking down The case could be understood, then, as a straightforward matter of striking down state laws that violated a national one. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 O’Connor ruled that historical firearm tradition supports striking down the rule, as mandated by recent Supreme Court precedent that asks courts to consider American history when determining the constitutionality of gun laws. — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026 Lawyers for the families argue that the 5th Circuit – the most conservative appeals court in the country – flouted the Supreme Court’s 1980 decision striking down a Kentucky law that’s nearly identical to Texas’ requirement. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 The high court dealt Trump both of the losses during the term that ended in June, striking down his executive order to end birthright citizenship and blocking his attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook. — Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2026 The 2024 ruling striking down the law as unconstitutional had been on hold pending appeal, so Wednesday’s reversal does not change the status quo. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 The 2024 ruling striking down the law as unconstitutional had been on hold pending appeal, so Wednesday's reversal does not change the status quo. — CBS News, 29 July 2026 The court dealt Trump a major defeat in February by striking down his sweeping worldwide tariffs. — Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 Either way, in striking down the Louisiana voting map as a racial gerrymander, this outcome could influence how other states defend or challenge maps, too. — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for striking down

Verb

Some advocate abolishing the agency, while others offer visions for how to rein it in and reform it.

— Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
Now, Xi remains in office after purging political rivals, abolishing presidential term limits and consolidating power.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of abolishing

Verb

Abbott plans to work with the state legislature in 2027 on new laws for data centers, including repealing tax incentives.

— Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Fraga said repealing the resolution would not change federal immigration law or enforcement policy and argued that the city must follow existing federal and state laws while advocating for changes when officials disagree with them.

— Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of repealing

Verb

Companies will be required to provide a simple, accessible way to cancel a subscription through the same method used to sign up — making canceling as easy as signing up.

— Lindsay Owens, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
The Stanford researchers estimated that sellers can roughly double revenue because of consumer inertia, when people forget or put off canceling, and cancellation friction, when ending a subscription takes too much time or effort.

— Barbara Booth, CNBC, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of canceling

Verb

Lawmakers from both parties seemed eager at the beginning of the session to institute changes ranging from moratoriums on new developments to rolling back the lucrative tax breaks the state offers to lure facilities to Georgia in the first place.

— Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Now his administration is rolling back limits on power plant emissions, attempting to open the California coast to more oil drilling and sabotaging the state’s ambitious goals on emission controls and electric vehicle conversion.

— Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of rolling back

Verb

The growing range of treatment options marks a shift from seeking a cure to focusing on avoiding the disease entirely.

— Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 29 Sep. 2026
These are the transition costs buried inside the transformation of our energy and food systems, of avoiding those future degrees of warming.

— Stephanie Walton, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of avoiding

Verb

As well as overturning the 2024 standards, the EPA is proposing to roll back its authority to regulate climate pollution from power plants.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Kavanaugh wrote an opinion in 2012 overturning the terrorism conviction of a driver and bodyguard for Osama bin Laden.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of overturning

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“Striking down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/striking%20down. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of striking down

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