annul

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "annul" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the process of making something legally null and void, as in "The court annulled the marriage".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Even Gracia praised Iraizoz and questioned the referee's decision to annul the keeper's goal.

The Guardian - Sport

It can certainly order recounts, or even annul the vote, of specific polling stations, though it is not clear whether it could order a total recount or annul the election entirely.

The Economist

The Council of Ministers can only modify or annul this by a qualified majority a negative power.The most sweeping of the Commission's specific executive powers, however, concern national finances.

The Economist

Under a guillotine clause, such a breach would annul six other economic agreements struck at the time.

The Economist

An 18th-century British law proposing to allow husbands to annul marriages to wives who had trapped them with "scents, paints, artificial teeth, false hair and iron stays", had no effect on women, who continued to clamour for the latest French skin creams.

The Economist

The courts later found grounds to annul the results, after the king urged them to sort out the "mess".

The Economist

Two of their replacements are senators who defended the law.The court may also annul what Mr Corral argues was a giveaway of radio spectrum and a provision that allows broadcasting licenses to be renewed more or less automatically.

The Economist

Mr Vargas recently declined to annul an election for governor of Michoacán, which Mr Calderón's sister had narrowly lost to the PRI.

The Economist

ON DECEMBER 3rd 2004 jubilant crowds flowed into a snowbound Kiev's Independence Square, waving their orange flags, to celebrate a court decision to annul Ukraine's rigged presidential election two weeks earlier.

The Economist

If the assembly declared independence without a new UN resolution, the UN representative in Kosovo would be legally bound to annul the decision, making recognition by any other country tricky.

The Economist

A French law court has allowed a Muslim man to annul his marriage on the ground that his wife was not a virgin on their wedding night.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "annul" when you want to emphasize the formal or legal invalidation of something, such as a contract, election, or marriage.

Common error

Avoid using "annul" interchangeably with verbs like "cancel" or "revoke" in contexts where the formal, legal sense is not intended. "Cancel" is more general, while "revoke" often applies to permissions or licenses.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "annul" is as a transitive verb. It signifies the act of making something legally void or invalid. Ludwig AI indicates that "annul" is a verb commonly used to describe formal revocations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

2%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The verb "annul" signifies formally invalidating something, often in legal contexts. According to Ludwig AI, it's correctly used to make something legally null and void, and our analysis confirms its prevalence in formal settings such as news reports, encyclopedias, and legal documents. It's essential to reserve "annul" for contexts requiring this level of formality, as it differs from more general terms like "cancel". The frequency analysis indicates "annul" is very common, especially in news and media, highlighting its relevance in reporting on events like elections or legal decisions. Remember, "annul" is about making something officially disappear from the record.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

invalidate

Focuses on making something legally or officially invalid.

revoke

Emphasizes the official cancellation or withdrawal of a decree, permit, or privilege.

nullify

Highlights the act of making something without legal force or effect.

rescind

Suggests the cancellation of a law, order, or agreement.

repeal

Specifically refers to the revocation or annulment of a law or act of parliament.

void

Indicates that something has no legal effect and is completely invalid.

overturn

Implies reversing a decision or judgment, often in a legal context.

cancel

A more general term for stopping something that has been arranged or agreed upon.

reverse

Suggests changing something to its opposite.

quash

Focuses on rejecting or overturning something, especially in a legal context.

FAQs

How to use "annul" in a sentence?

You can use "annul" to describe the act of formally invalidating something. For example, "The court decided to "annul" the election results due to widespread fraud."

What can I say instead of "annul"?

Alternatives to "annul" include "invalidate", "revoke", or "nullify", depending on the specific context. These words convey a similar meaning of making something void or ineffective.

Which is correct, "annul" or "cancel"?

"Annul" and "cancel" are both correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Annul" is typically used in formal or legal settings to indicate that something is officially invalid, while "cancel" is a more general term for stopping something.

What's the difference between "annul" and "repeal"?

"Annul" typically refers to invalidating something like a marriage or an election, while "repeal" specifically refers to revoking a law or statute.