revoke

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "revoke" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of officially canceling or withdrawing something, such as a privilege, right, or decision. Example: "The committee decided to revoke the membership of those who failed to comply with the rules."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The president of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Ghaith Krayem, told an anti-racism forum in Melbourne that the federal government's plans to allow the immigration minister to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals found to join or support terrorist groups "would make criminals of people based on suspicion and suspicion alone".

The Guardian

Keep track of which services you give permission to access others, and revoke this if one is compromised or you stop using it.

The Guardian

A decision in February by president Thein Sein's reformist government to revoke their "temporary" identity cards has disenfranchised the community ahead of parliamentary elections due to be held in November.

The Guardian

Australia has asked the ICJ to order Japan to stop its Jarpa II research programme and "revoke any authorisations, permits or licences" to hunt whales in the Southern Ocean.

The Guardian

She has joined the growing chorus of criticism by some government ministers and backbenchers, legal experts and community groups, over attempts to increase executive powers to revoke citizenship of suspected terrorists.

The Guardian

But – despite the many headlines (we still haven't seen any citizenship legislation and neither has the cabinet) we have no idea what evidence immigration minister Peter Dutton would need to see from intelligence briefings in order to revoke someone's citizenship, nor any details of the promised judicial review.

The Guardian

Education secretary Nicky Morgan has come under intense pressure to revoke government plans to decouple AS and A-levels, amid warnings of "near-unanimous" opposition to the move from across the entire education sector.

The Guardian

Now: In 2001, Sourcewatch reports that Bouchey, Wallop and Frontiers of Freedom ran an "eco-terrorism" propaganda campaign against Rainforest Action Network (RAN), Greenpeace and other groups, eventually petitioning the Internal Revenue Service IRSS) to revoke RAN's non-profit tax status.

The Guardian

Large areas of supposedly protected intact forest have been cleared, in violation of forest-protection laws and "apparently in collusion with Cambodia's corrupt elite .Global Witness is urging authorities in Cambodia and Laos to revoke the two companies' land concessions, which cover 200,000 hectares and are held through a network of subsidiaries.

The Economist

Indonesia plans to revoke the passports of anyone who has gone to fight with IS, or who plans to do so.

The Economist

As the San Francisco Chronicle notes, "Pastors across the country have posted videos on the Internet of their direct or thinly veiled political endorsements and sent letters to the Internal Revenue Service, daring the agency to revoke their tax-exempt status for political speech .The IRS, for its part, doesn't seem to care.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "revoke" when you need to emphasize the official or legal cancellation of something, such as a law, license, or agreement.

Common error

Avoid using "revoke" interchangeably with words like "cancel" or "withdraw" in contexts where a formal or legal annulment is not implied. "Cancel" is more general, while "withdraw" suggests a removal, not necessarily an official invalidation.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "revoke" is as a transitive verb. It signifies the act of officially canceling or reversing something, such as a law, permit, or privilege. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a commonly used and grammatically sound verb.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "revoke" is a transitive verb primarily used to indicate the official cancellation or reversal of something, often in legal or formal contexts. Ludwig AI confirms the grammatical correctness and widespread usage of the term. It's commonly found in news and media, as well as formal business settings. While synonyms like "cancel" and "withdraw" exist, "revoke" carries a more specific connotation of legal or official invalidation. Understanding these nuances ensures accurate and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

repeal

Specifically refers to the cancellation of a law or act.

rescind

Implies a formal withdrawal of an agreement, order, or decision.

nullify

Means to make legally void or ineffective.

invalidate

Suggests making something not valid or without legal force.

rescind an order

Specifically mentions that you want to formally remove an official instruction or command.

reverse a decision

Focuses on changing a previous judgment or conclusion.

withdraw

Means to take back or remove something.

cancel

A more general term for stopping something that was planned.

abrogate

Formally abolish by authoritative act; repeal

annul

Declare invalid

FAQs

How is "revoke" typically used in a sentence?

"Revoke" is typically used to indicate the official cancellation or withdrawal of something. For example, "The government decided to "revoke the license"" or "They may "revoke citizenship" under certain conditions."

What are some synonyms for "revoke"?

Synonyms for "revoke" include "rescind", "repeal", "annul", "invalidate", and "withdraw". The best choice depends on the specific context.

What's the difference between "revoke" and "cancel"?

"Revoke" implies a formal and often legal cancellation, like revoking a license. "Cancel" is more general and can refer to stopping something informal, like cancelling a meeting.

When is it appropriate to use "revoke" instead of "rescind"?

"Revoke" and "rescind" are often interchangeable, but "revoke" can sometimes imply a stronger sense of authority or legal power being exercised. You might "revoke" a privilege, but "rescind a decision".