revoke

[ri-vohk]

verb (used with object)

revoked, revoking 

1. to take back or withdraw; annul, cancel, or reverse; rescind or repeal.

   to revoke a decree.

   Synonyms: countermand, nullify, recall, retract

2. to bring or summon back.

verb (used without object)

revoked, revoking 

1. Cards.,  to fail to follow suit when possible and required; renege.

noun

1. Cards.,  an act or instance of revoking.

revoke

/ rɪˈvəʊk /

verb

1. (tr) to take back or withdraw; cancel; rescind

   to revoke a law

2. (intr) cards to break a rule of play by failing to follow suit when able to do so; renege

noun

1. cards the act of revoking; a renege

Other Word Forms

• revoker noun
• revokingly adverb
• unrevoked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of revoke¹

1300–50; Middle English revoken < Latin revocāre to call again, equivalent to re- re- + vocāre to call

Word History and Origins

Origin of revoke¹

C14: from Latin revocāre to call back, withdraw, from _re- + vocāre to call

Example Sentences

Sami Hamdi, a British political commentator who was on a speaking tour in the U.S., was detained by immigration enforcement officers on Sunday at San Francisco International Airport after his visa was revoked.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The department added that it will continue revoking the visas of people engaged in such activities.

Read more on BBC

In addition to teachers’ licensure being on the line, repeated failure to comply would allow the state to revoke district accreditation, which could result in a state takeover.

Read more on Salon

The decree published in the official gazette said Rajoelina's Malagasy nationality was revoked because he had acquired French nationality in 2014, local media reported, as photographs of the document were shared online.

Read more on Barron's

It’s time for the SEC to revoke this inappropriate and overwrought rule.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abolish 
• abrogate 
• annul 
• deny 
• dismantle 
• dismiss 
• invalidate 
• lift 
• nullify 
• quash 
• remove 
• renounce 
• repeal 
• rescind 
• retract 
• reverse 
• set aside 
• vacate 
• void 
• withdraw 

When To Use

What does revoke mean?

Revoke means to take back, withdraw, or cancel.Revoke is typically used in the context of officially taking back or cancelling some kind of right, status, or privilege that has already been given or approved. Passports and laws can be revoked, for example.The process or an instance of revoking is called revocation.A much more specific and less common sense of the word revoke is used in the context of card games, in which it means to break the rules by failing to follow suit when possible or required, such as in the game of bridge.Example: The principal threatened to revoke our senior privileges if there are any pranks.