Synonym Chooser

How does the verb annul differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of annul are abrogate, invalidate, negate, and nullify. While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

the treaty annuls all previous agreements

How do abrogate and annul relate to one another?

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

a law to abrogate trading privileges

Where would invalidate be a reasonable alternative to annul?

While in some cases nearly identical to annul, 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 annul?

The words negate and annul can be used in similar contexts, but negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

When might nullify be a better fit than annul?

While the synonyms nullify and annul are close in meaning, nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something.

a penalty nullified the touchdown

Example 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 annul The bill gives residents no more than 60 days to file an action seeking to annul a zoning change. Bayliss Wagner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 But when the officer is not removable at the will of the executive, the appointment is not revocable and cannot be annulled. Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 29 July 2025 Worrell’s court filing came after Zeigler’s attorneys last March asked an Orange County judge to annul his four 1976 murder convictions. Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025 After Romania’s decision to cancel the election last year, Mr. Georgescu became a cause célèbre among nationalists, with support coming from figures such as U.S. Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who both criticized Romania for annulling the vote. Stephen McGrath, Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for annul
Recent Examples of Synonyms for annul
Verb
  • Once again, supporters justified the measure in terms of equity, efficiency, and fairness; limiting the deduction would broaden the tax base (a good thing by itself) while also raising revenue that could be used to offset other tax cuts.
    Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • In short, more noise leads to lower-quality outputs unless offset with a higher compute budget (FLOPs) or data budget (tokens).
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Iranian authorities must immediately implement a moratorium on all executions and abolish the death penalty.
    Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The Department of Labor withdrew a plan to establish a minimum wage for workers with disabilities and abolished wage protections for the home-health aides who assist millions of seniors and disabled people.
    E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In June 2024, the district ordered Tesla to correct ongoing violations of toxic air pollution coming from the factory’s paint shops, allegations the company denied.
    Taylor Kate Brown, ProPublica, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Course-correcting a technical process is like truing a wheel.
    Barbara Wittmann, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Initially, both the Treasury Department and key congressional leaders were determined to repeal the SALT deduction entirely.
    Joseph Thorndike, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Federal officials have said that repealing the rule would allow for more flexible management for local land managers and aid in preventing destructive wildfires.
    John Leos, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • His studio team appreciates how subtle soft pink/white crystal lighting neutralizes the green of the glass.
    Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Wyoming linebackers Evan Eller and Brayden Johnson will need to be neutralized for CU to find some rhythm on the ground this week.
    Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Mahtomedi High School officials canceled Friday night’s football game against Bloomington Kennedy, saying the Washington County Sheriff’s Office had advised them to do so due to ongoing law enforcement activity in the area.
    Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025
  • On social media, people have posted photos of them canceling their subscriptions to streaming services Disney Plus and Hulu in support of Kimmel.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The outcomes for detainees who have been housed at the facility have taken on new significance after an appeals court overturned that earlier ruling, allowing the facility to resume operations.
    Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Now 64, Hernandez had been serving his sentence until the recent appeals court decision overturning his conviction in July.
    Adeola Adeosun Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Annul.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/annul. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on annul

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