repeal

American  

[ri-peel] / rɪˈpil /

verb (used with object)

1. to revoke or withdraw formally or officially.

   to repeal a grant.

2. to revoke or annul (a law, tax, duty, etc.) by express legislative enactment; abrogate.

   Synonyms:

   invalidate, rescind, abolish, nullify

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noun

1. the act of repealing; revocation; abrogation.

repeal ¹ British  

/ rɪˈpiːl /

verb

1. to annul or rescind officially (something previously ordered); revoke

   these laws were repealed

2. obsolete to call back (a person) from exile

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noun

1. an instance or the process of repealing; annulment

Repeal ² British  

/ rɪˈpiːl /

noun

1. (esp in the 19th century) the proposed dissolution of the Union between Great Britain and Ireland

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Other Word Forms

• nonrepealable adjective
• repealability noun
• repealable adjective
• repealableness noun
• repealer noun
• unrepealability noun
• unrepealable adjective
• unrepealed adjective

Etymology

Origin of repeal

1275–1325; Middle English repelen < Anglo-French repeler, equivalent to re- re- + ( a ) peler to appeal

Explanation

To repeal something — usually a law, ordinance or public policy — is to take it back. For example, dog lovers might want the town council to repeal the law that says residents can have no more than four dogs. The verb repeal comes from the Anglo-French word repeler, “to call back.” Repeal is almost always used in the context of law: When a government decides to get rid of an ordinance or law, that ordinance or law is repealed. That means it is no longer in effect, like if the weather becomes unseasonably hot, the schools might repeal the part of the dress code to permit students to wear shorts.

Example Sentences

In that sense, “policymakers may be able to cushion the blow, but they cannot repeal physical bottlenecks,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

The City Council votes to repeal a law championed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

Farage made the comments when he was the leader of UKIP, and his Reform UK party insists it has no plans to repeal or weaken existing firearms law.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

Raman portrayed her ballot proposal as part of a larger strategy to blunt statewide efforts to repeal Measure ULA.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

As the news of the repeal was broadcast over the radio, stores like New York’s Gimbels and Bloomingdale’s immediately opened their liquor departments.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• abolish
• abrogate
• annul
• cancel
• dismantle
• invalidate
• lift
• nullify
• rescind
• reverse
• revoke
• set aside
• void
• wipe out
• withdraw