rescission

American  

[ri-sizh-uhn] / rɪˈsɪʒ ən /

noun

1. the act of rescinding.

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rescission British  

/ rɪˈsɪʒən /

noun

1. the act of rescinding

2. law the right to have a contract set aside if it has been entered into mistakenly, as a result of misrepresentation, undue influence, etc

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Other Word Forms

• nonrescission noun

Etymology

Origin of rescission

1605–15; < Late Latin rescissiōn- (stem of rescissiō ) a making void, rescinding, equivalent to resciss ( us ) (past participle of rescindere to rescind, equivalent to re- re- + scid-, variant stem of scindere to cleave, tear in two + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > ss ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

If you’ve really had it with your business partner, you may make a motion for rescission to dissolve your legal ties. Rescission refers to the canceling of a contract or other legal agreement. The word rescission entered English in the17th century from the Latin word rescissio(n-), from resciss-, meaning “split again.” When a rescission takes place, you can think of it as two parties that are split up again — it’s as if they never had any ties together. You’ll most often hear the word used in a legal context. If someone violates part of a contract, then the other party might seek rescission, meaning the contract will be declared void.

Example Sentences

“Because it is the unmaking of an agreement, rescission is an extreme remedy and should only be granted by a court of equity when it is ‘clearly warranted,’” the court wrote in the unsigned opinion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

"It is undisputed that Musk fully performed under the 2018 grant, and Tesla and its stockholders were rewarded for his work," the ruling said as it reversed the rescission.

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

Although this relatively strict standard would seem to crimp the administration’s “turbocharged” rescission effort, the administration clearly believes it has found a loophole.

From Slate • Sep. 15, 2025

In her announcement, Rollins said the rescission would not apply to Colorado and Idaho, which underwent separate rulemaking processes to create state-specific roadless rules.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

SEE Blashfield, De Witt C.   A treatise on the rescission of     contracts.

From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1956 January - June by Library of Congress. Copyright Office