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Meaning & use

nullify

verb·Academicformal

Last updated

UK/ˈnʌlɪfaɪ/
US/ˈnʌləˌfaɪ/

Meanings

  1. verbtransitivelegalformal

    To make a law, agreement or decision lose its legal force.

    Grammar: Takes an object: nullify a contract.

    Patterns

    • nullify a contract
    • nullify a law
    • nullify an election

    The court moved to nullify the contract.

    A later law can nullify the earlier rule.

    Fraud may nullify the agreement.

  2. verbtransitivefigurative

    To cancel out the effect of something so that it has no value.

    Grammar: Takes an object: one mistake can nullify hours of work.

    Patterns

    • nullify the effect of something

    The late goal nullified their earlier lead.

    One careless remark can nullify all your hard work.

    Drinking tea does not nullify the sugar in the cake.

Word forms

third person singularnullifies
past tensenullified
past participlenullified
-ing formnullifying

Common combinations

nullify a contract
The judge refused to nullify the contract.
nullify the effect
New evidence could nullify the effect of the verdict.
nullify a decision
The board voted to nullify the decision.
nullify a marriage
A court can nullify a marriage in some cases.
nullify the results
Errors in counting could nullify the results.

Synonyms and how they differ

cancel
Cancel is plain and general, while nullify is formal and implies something loses its legal or actual force.
void
Void as a verb is a stricter legal word meaning to declare invalid.
negate
Negate means to cancel the effect of something, but is often used for ideas, not rules.
annul
Annul is used for marriages and legal acts and is more official than nullify.

Opposites

validateupholdenforce

Word family

null adjective
having no legal force
nullification noun
the act of making something void
nullity noun
the state of having no legal force
annul verb
to declare invalid

Commonly confused: nullify or nullify vs annul?

nullify vs nullify vs annul

Annul is the standard word for ending a marriage or official act, while nullify can also mean to cancel out any effect.

Practice

The judge ruled that the missing signature would ___ the contract.

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