annul[verb]Synonyms: invalidate, abolish, cancel, declare
or render null and void, negate, nullify, repeal, retract
Contrasted words: enact, ordain, pass
Related Idioms: make void, set aside
Related Words: abstract,
dispose (of),
eliminate,
remove,
outweigh,
overbalance,
counteract,
negative,
neutralize,
blot out,
cancel,
efface,
obliterate,
extinguish,
abolish,
countermand,
invalidate,
nullify,
undo
English Thesaurus: cancel, call off, be off, postpone, shelve, ... [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
an‧nul /əˈnʌl/
verb (
past tense and past participle annulled,
present participle annulling)
[transitive often passive][
Date: 1300-1400;
Language: Old French;
Origin: annuller, from Late Latin annullare, from Latin ad- 'to' + nullus 'not any']
to officially state that a marriage or legal agreement no longer exists:
Their marriage was annulled last year.—annulment noun [uncountable and countable] [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
cancel to decide that something that was officially planned will not happen:
The teacher was ill so classes were cancelled for the day. I was feeling better so I cancelled my doctor’s appointment. They were forced to cancel the concert when the conductor became ill.call off to cancel a meeting, game, or event that you have organized.
Call off is less formal than
cancel and is very commonly used in everyday English:
Linda decided to call the wedding off. The game was called off due to heavy rain.be off if an event or activity is off, it has been cancelled because of a sudden problem or change in someone’s plans:
I’m afraid the party’s off. Nick won’t let us use his apartment. Myers called me yesterday to tell me that the deal was off.postpone to decide to do something at a later time, instead of the time that was officially planned:
The show has been postponed until next Saturday.shelve (
also put something on ice) to decide not to continue with a plan, project etc although it may be considered again at some time in the future:
Plans for a new stadium have been shelved for now. The project had to be put on ice due to lack of funding. Blears called for the discussions to be put on ice until after the elections.annul formal to officially decide that a marriage, result, or agreement has no legal authority and is therefore cancelled:
The election results were annulled by the courts. A marriage can be annulled if there has been lack of consent. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲