annul
/əˈnʌl
/verb (annuls, annulling, annulled) [with object]
1Declare invalid (an official agreement, decision, or result): the elections were annulled by the general amid renewed protests...
- Conflicts continue between the opposing camps following the decision by the Ukraine Supreme Court to annul the disputed result of the presidential election of November 21 and order a revote on December 26.
- Early this year, the House annulled the government's decision to raise the telephone rates by up to 35 percent, citing the government's failure to meet its promise of establishing the agency prior to the hike.
- Let us hope the Minister of Health, who is leading the fight against HIV-AIDS in our country, will heed our calls and annul the decision of abolishing the AIDS disability grant in full.
Synonyms
declare invalid, declare null and void, nullify, invalidate, void;
repeal, reverse, rescind, revoke, set aside, cancel, abolish, undo, abrogate, countermand, dissolve, withdraw, cast aside, quash;
Law vacate
rare disannul, negate, recall
1.1Declare (a marriage) to have had no legal existence: her first marriage was finally annulled by His Holiness...
- He married his first wife Angie in 1978 and the marriage was annulled in 1984, three years after the birth of their son, Callum.
- He wanted to break his attachment, annul the marriage.
- He had his marriage annulled by the Catholic Church.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French anuller, from late Latin annullare, from ad- 'to' + nullum 'nothing'.
Introduced into English via Old French from late Latin annullare, annul is based on the Latin elements ad- ‘to’ and nullum ‘nothing’, the source also of null (Late Middle English).