annul
Americanverb (used with object)
-
annuls,
present (3rd person singular)
-
annulled,
past participle, past
-
annulling
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
annulsimple
-
annulssimple
-
have annulledperfect
-
has annulledperfect
-
am annullingprogressive
-
are annullingprogressive
-
is annullingprogressive
-
have been annullingperfect progressive
-
has been annullingperfect progressive
Past
-
annulledsimple
-
had annulledperfect
-
was annullingprogressive
-
were annullingprogressive
-
had been annullingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of annul
1375–1425; late Middle English < Anglo-French annuler < Late Latin adnūllāre render null (calque of Greek exoudeneîn ), equivalent to ad- ad- + -nullāre, verbal derivative of Latin nūllus no, not any
Explanation
When a celebrity wakes up in Las Vegas with a mysterious wedding ring on her finger, the first thing she’ll probably want to do is annul the marriage. That will declare it invalid and officially cancel the whole deal. Annul, which means “to cancel” or “to invalidate,” is usually used in the context of politics or marriage. New government officials often want to annul laws and policies of the previous post-holder, effectively reversing their work. When you annul a marriage, you are officially declaring it invalid, as if it never happened. In the case of the unfortunate celebrity marriage, however, it could be difficult to completely erase all record of the event — especially if the tabloids hear about it.
Vocabulary lists containing annul
"Revolution 2.0," Vocabulary from the memoir
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Chapter 20: Renaissance and Reformation
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"A Story Without an End" by Mark Twain
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
They want the Department of Finance to annul the tax roll of 960,000 properties and void the pied-à-terre tax warning letters that were already sent out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Lawmakers in the lower house will on Thursday debate a bill to annul the royal edicts, and the Senate is then to have its say at an undetermined date before the law can pass.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Klein & Wilson, a law firm based in Newport Beach, Calif., outlines the reasons you can revoke or annul a contract.
From MarketWatch ● May 20, 2026
Delivering her opinion for the Court of Justice of the European Union, advocate general Tamara Capeta sided with parliament in saying the court should "annul the commission's contested decision" which was made "without any explanation."
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
No, I think, but even if it were, it turned out to be Mitt, some wondrous thing, who will forever annul any of our regret.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Open the history annuls and you'll find celebrities and WAGs - the wives and girlfriends of drivers - visible in the paddock for decades.
From BBC ● Feb. 27, 2026
India’s child marriage law deems the act of marrying below adult age illegal, but the marriage itself is valid until either party annuls it once they reach adulthood.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 10, 2023
"The General Court annuls the decision of the European Commission approving Romanian aid to Timisoara International Airport in favour of Wizz Air," the Court said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
From Reuters ● Feb. 8, 2023
Sept. 7: Mexico’s Supreme Court unanimously annuls portions of a law in Coahuila — a state on the Texas border — that had made abortion a criminal act.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2021
According to the Hanifite jurists, this is a deed of gift which annuls all other rights of property.
From The Faith of Islam by Edward Sell
He annulled her royal title; declared their only child, Elizabeth, illegitimate; and damned her memory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
Greenspan’s marriage was annulled amicably after a year, but his friendship with Rand lasted until her death in 1982.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
The Seoul race was marred by ballot shortages that disrupted voting and prompted calls for the election to be annulled.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
Their marriage was annulled the following November, months before “Control” was released.
From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2026
“Cause if'n you do, or if’n you have a mind to after you git over bein’ so mad at him, why, we could git this’n annulled.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Dieudonne Boutrin, an activist from the overseas territory of Martinique who is descended from enslaved people, said annulling the Black Code should have been done ages ago.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
"I do not make this application lightly," the president says in the court submission, arguing that the report should be set aside, thereby annulling the impeachment process.
From BBC ● May 26, 2026
Lore Segal was 10 years old in 1938 when Nazi Germany annexed Austria and began the process of annulling the citizenships and confiscating the properties of Jewish families such as her own.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
To obtain immunity, he would need to show that his conduct served some actual U.S. government purpose that the Supremacy Clause would forbid the state from annulling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2023
Surely, there will be repercussions, but will they go so far as Coin annulling our agreement for the victors’ immunity?
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
