NULLIFY Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'nullify' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of nullify are abrogate , annul , invalidate , and negate . While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something. // a penalty nullified the touchdown

Q: How are the words 'abrogate' and 'annul' related as synonyms of 'nullify'?

Abrogate is like annul but more definitely implies a legal or official act. // a law to abrogate trading privileges

Q: When could 'annul' be used to replace 'nullify'?

The words annul and nullify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action. // the treaty annuls all previous agreements

Q: Where would 'invalidate' be a reasonable alternative to 'nullify'?

While in some cases nearly identical to nullify , invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness. // the court invalidated the statute

Q: When is it sensible to use 'negate' instead of 'nullify'?

The synonyms negate and nullify are sometimes interchangeable, but negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other. // the arguments negate each other

nullify

verb

ˈnə-lə-ˌfī

Definition of nullify next

as in to abolish

to put an end to by formal action the constitutional amendment that nullified Prohibition

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb nullify differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of nullify are abrogate, annul, invalidate, and negate. While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something.

a penalty nullified the touchdown

How are the words abrogate and annul related as synonyms of nullify?

Abrogate is like annul but more definitely implies a legal or official act.

a law to abrogate trading privileges

When could annul be used to replace nullify?

The words annul and nullify are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

the treaty annuls all previous agreements

Where would invalidate be a reasonable alternative to nullify?

While in some cases nearly identical to nullify, invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness.

the court invalidated the statute

When is it sensible to use negate instead of nullify?

The synonyms negate and nullify are sometimes interchangeable, but negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

Examples Sentences

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 nullify But if the rank is calculated weekly and weighs how your opponents do in their games, smurfs could theoretically be identified before the ranks update, and any changes a match with a smurf would have had can be nullified or reduced. —

Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 The solid majority of grassroots voters who elected DA Price in 2022 deserve to have their votes respected, and not nullified by the highest bidders. —

Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 8 Oct. 2024 The second part of the proposal says other language in the constitution cannot be interpreted in a way that nullifies this amendment. —

Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 1 Oct. 2024 Those four seconds, Romania argued, put the US over the time limit and should have nullified Chiles’s new score. —

Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 12 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nullify

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nullify

Verb

Despite proposals to change or abolish the Electoral College (the University of Central Florida reports there have been over 1,000), there are many reasons why these attempts failed.

Russell Falcon, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024
Alaska, California, Louisiana and Washington have abolished party primaries for congressional elections and replaced them with open, all-candidate primaries.

Russell Contreras, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024