repeal
verb
re·peal ri-ˈpēl 
repealed; repealing; repeals
transitive verb
1
: to rescind or annul by authoritative act
especially : to revoke or abrogate by legislative enactment
2
: abandon, renounce
3
obsolete : to summon to return : recall
repeal noun
repealable
ri-ˈpē-lə-bəl
adjective 
Synonyms
- abandon
- abort
- call
- call off
- cancel
- cry off
- drop
- recall
- rescind
- revoke
- scrap
- scrub
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
the company called the furniture store to repeal the order for six new desks in 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the Prohibition Amendment of 1919, thus making the sale, distribution, and use of alcohol legal once again
Recent Examples on the Web In 2000, Alabama voters approved Amendment 667 to formally repeal the inoperative ban by a vote of 59 percent to 41 percent. 
Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, 31 July 2022 But another key Democratic lawmaker and Nelson dispute this, saying there were never enough votes to repeal the 1849 ban in a stand-alone bill or in the budget. Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 19 July 2022 Evers called the session to repeal the ban earlier this month, but Wisconsin GOP members said the move was no more than a political stunt. Julia Musto, Fox News, 22 June 2022 Reuters reports that Virginia became the first state to repeal a ban on facial recognition technology and that California as well as the city of New Orleans may soon follow suit. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 17 May 2022 Sanjay Wagle, senior vice president of government affairs for the organization, said Realtors recognize their role in the creation of Article 34 and are eager to help repeal it. Liam Dillonstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 This November, San Diego voters will decide whether to keep it or repeal it. San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2022 In Ecuador, government gas subsidies were instituted in the 1970s, and every time officials have tried to repeal them there’s been a violent backlash. New York Times, 2 July 2022 Unfortunately, there are not enough votes in Congress to repeal it, just like there are not enough currently to restore Roe. Ben Gittleson, ABC News, 27 June 2022 See More
Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, 31 July 2022 But another key Democratic lawmaker and Nelson dispute this, saying there were never enough votes to repeal the 1849 ban in a stand-alone bill or in the budget. Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 19 July 2022 Evers called the session to repeal the ban earlier this month, but Wisconsin GOP members said the move was no more than a political stunt. Julia Musto, Fox News, 22 June 2022 Reuters reports that Virginia became the first state to repeal a ban on facial recognition technology and that California as well as the city of New Orleans may soon follow suit. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 17 May 2022 Sanjay Wagle, senior vice president of government affairs for the organization, said Realtors recognize their role in the creation of Article 34 and are eager to help repeal it. Liam Dillonstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2022 This November, San Diego voters will decide whether to keep it or repeal it. San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2022 In Ecuador, government gas subsidies were instituted in the 1970s, and every time officials have tried to repeal them there’s been a violent backlash. New York Times, 2 July 2022 Unfortunately, there are not enough votes in Congress to repeal it, just like there are not enough currently to restore Roe. Ben Gittleson, ABC News, 27 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English repelen, borrowed from Anglo-French repeler, rapeler, reapeler "to call back, bring back, recover, rescind, deter," from re- re- + apeler, appeler to call, summon, call before a court" — more at appeal entry 2
Note: Both the form and meaning of the Anglo-French verb have been influenced to some degree by Latin repellere "to push away, fend off" (see repel).
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
repeal
verb
re·peal ri-ˈpēl
repealed; repealing
: to do away with especially by legislative action
The law was repealed.
Legal Definition
repeal
transitive verb
re·peal ri-ˈpēl
: to rescind or annul by authoritative act
especially : to revoke or abrogate by legislative enactment
legislatures repealing statutes in light of a recent Supreme Court decision
repeals 1 of 2
verb
1
as in cancels
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) the company called the furniture store to repeal the order for six new desks Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- cancels
- abandons
- revokes
- rescinds
- aborts
- scraps
- withdraws
- reverses
- recalls
- abrogates
- nullifies
- suspends
- invalidates
- terminates
- halts
- scrubs
- drops
- annuls
- calls off
- calls
- retracts
- ends
- interrupts
- cries off
- voids
- recants
- discontinues
- stops
- countermands
- relinquishes
- writes off
- breaks off
- rolls back
- surrenders
- takes back
- holds back
- gives up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continues
- promises
- engages
- keeps
- begins
- starts
- commences
- initiates
- undertakes
- pledges
- takes on
- takes up
2
as in abolishes
to put an end to by formal action in 1933, Congress passed the 21st Amendment which repealed the Prohibition Amendment of 1919, thus making the sale, distribution, and use of alcohol legal once again Synonyms & Similar Words
- abolishes
- cancels
- overturns
- avoids
- revokes
- invalidates
- abrogates
- rescinds
- nullifies
- voids
- vacates
- suspends
- annuls
- dismisses
- withdraws
- dissolves
- negates
- vetoes
- reverses
- quashes
- removes
- rejects
- eliminates
- retracts
- forbids
- strikes down
- abates
- nulls
- bans
- rolls back
- overrules
- prohibits
- erases
- disannuls
- overrides
- sets aside
- countermands
- outlaws
- recalls
- eradicates
- enjoins
- aborts
- does away with
- disallows
- annihilates
- drops
- liquidates
- calls
- calls off
- writes off
- breaks down
- throws out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- enacts
- establishes
- lays down
- institutes
- legislates
- passes
- authorizes
- approves
- founds
- validates
- permits
- endorses
- legalizes
- allows
- prescribes
- legitimizes
- ratifies
- orders
- mandates
- formalizes
- sanctions
- legitimates
- clears
- decrees
- warrants
- commands
- indorses
3
as in renounces
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) if I find that you have been lying about this, I'll instantly repeal every promise I made to you Synonyms & Similar Words
- renounces
- retracts
- withdraws
- contradicts
- denies
- refutes
- abandons
- repudiates
- abjures
- relinquishes
- recants
- forswears
- reneges
- disavows
- revokes
- takes back
- negates
- abnegates
- spurns
- disowns
- disclaims
- unsays
- forsakes
- foreswears
- disproves
- recalls
- controverts
- surrenders
- backtracks
- rebuts
- gainsays
- disputes
- disallows
- backs off
- backs down
- bolts
- negatives
- gives up
- disagrees (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- declares
- maintains
- affirms
- supports
- contends
- acknowledges
- asserts
- claims
- states
- admits
- endorses
- proclaims
- adheres (to)
- maintains
- confirms
- adopts
- defends
- professes
- accepts
- embraces
- upholds
- vows
- avows
- indorses
- backs
- vouches
- espouses
repeals
2 of 2noun
1
as in cancellations
the act of putting an end to something planned or previously agreed to the long overdue repeal of laws prohibiting interracial marriage Synonyms & Similar Words
- cancellations
- abandonments
- cancelations
- abolitions
- rescissions
- revocations
- abortions
- recisions
- recalls
- surrenders
- droppings
- invalidations
- endings
- neutralizations
- terminations
- nullifications
- annulments
- callings
- abolishments
- relinquishments
- reversals
- rollbacks
- voidances
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continuations
- beginnings
- commencements
- engagements
- undertakings
- initiations
2
as in abolitions
the doing away with something by formal action the repeal of Prohibition during Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term Synonyms & Similar Words
- abolitions
- abrogations
- invalidations
- dissolutions
- abolishments
- nullifications
- cancellations
- avoidances
- annulments
- prohibitions
- vetoes
- cancelations
- defeasances
- overrides
- rescindments
- abatements
- overturns
- negations
- abortions
- eliminations
- revocations
- countermands
- withdrawals
- dismissals
- removals
- reversals
- suspensions
- recalls
- liquidations
- disallowances
- retractions
- erasures
- rejections
- forbiddances
- eradications
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- enactments
- legislations
- institutions
- establishments
- ratifications
- legalizations
- validations
- approvals
- authorizations
- endorsements
- indorsements
- commandments
- clearances
- formalizations
- permissions
- prescriptions
- legitimations
- legitimizations
- passings
- orderings