rescind
Americanverb (used with object)
-
rescinds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rescinded,
past participle, past
-
rescinding
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rescindsimple
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rescindssimple
-
have rescindedperfect
-
has rescindedperfect
-
am rescindingprogressive
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are rescindingprogressive
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is rescindingprogressive
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have been rescindingperfect progressive
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has been rescindingperfect progressive
Past
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rescindedsimple
-
had rescindedperfect
-
was rescindingprogressive
-
were rescindingprogressive
-
had been rescindingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rescind
First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin rescindere “to tear off again, cut away,” equivalent to re- re- + scindere “to tear, divide, destroy”
Explanation
If you get a call saying a company has decided to rescind your job offer, it's back to the classifieds for you. Rescind means "to cancel or revoke." Things that are rescinded: policies, court decisions, regulations, and official statements. What all these examples have in common is that they are on the record. Also, rescind usually refers to promises instead of tangible objects. You can't rescind a shirt a friend has borrowed from you, but you can rescind your offer to loan her your jeans.
Vocabulary lists containing rescind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Negotiations to withdraw the measure fell apart on June 24, the day before the deadline to rescind initiatives from the statewide ballot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
To believe that even good women might see their minds betray them so spectacularly would be to rescind control over an entire ideology that helps organize your world.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins actually announced intentions to rescind the rule last year, so Tuesday’s announcement was more confirmation of the administration’s formal action on the rule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The proposal would rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, enacted in the final days of the Clinton administration, which barred development across vast areas of public forests and grasslands designated as "inventoried roadless areas."
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Vanderbilt worked on Riddle for a few days to get the owner to rescind his boycott of Pimlico and bring his colt back to meet Seabiscuit.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Even if a governor rescinds the moratorium, resuming executions would be a long and complicated process because the state has no approved protocol or facilities to carry out death sentences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The bill also rescinds the unobligated funds made available for the agency and transfers all other assets or liabilities to the Secretary of State.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 1, 2023
The end of the public health emergency rescinds some of the authorities for us to collect data from states and localities.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 8, 2023
“NCAA rescinds its ban on events in states with legal gambling, doubles down on kids charging for autographs on jerseys.”
From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2019
But "it frequently happens that the girl rescinds what has been agreed upon between the parents and the bridegroom, obstinately rejecting the very mention of marriage."
From The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin
At the end of the film, a title card reveals that Evans ultimately rescinded his claim for financial compensation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The lawsuit states that Baker-Mazara had an invite to a pre-NBA draft event rescinded because of his USC exit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Ahead of the 9/11 commemorations, some Gander residents had called for Hoekstra's invite to be rescinded.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
One rescinded the longstanding definition of "harm," which had covered habitat destruction.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Although the order was soon rescinded, its sting lingered.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Even she probably can’t keep him from soon rescinding the ban and recovering his access to those sweet, sweet cameras.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
The agency also proposed rescinding every remaining greenhouse gas standard for the power sector, and is seeking public comment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Then, days before the committee vote, he posted two orders on X, one rescinding the fund and one “clarifying” the immunity’s scope.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
After rescinding Ream's caution, Makkelie instead booked former Newcastle United forward Almiron, who had clearly dived.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
It was necessary to issue another order rescinding the license of the slave-traders because of the fear of servile insurrection, should the slave population too far exceed that of the whites.
From The Journal of Negro History, Volume 2, 1917 by Various
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
