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rescinded,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
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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
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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 Things that are rescinded: policies, court decisions, regulations, and official statements.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
Night
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The Crucible
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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:
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
Dickinson said the Teamsters’ legal petition aims to have the court rescind the DMV’s revised regulations until after an economic study is completed and the public is consulted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Earlier this year, Reform-led Wakefield Council voted to rescind its climate and biodiversity emergency declaration from May 2019.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 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
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 move announced Tuesday rescinds a ban on rainbow-colored Pride tape for on-ice activities that was provided to teams earlier this fall as guidance for theme nights.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 24, 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
Unless the NBA office rescinds the technical, Doncic will be forced to sit out the team’s game Monday night against against the Indiana Pacers.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 26, 2023
But it frequently happens that the girl rescinds what has been agreed upon between the parents and bridegroom, obstinately rejecting the very mention of marriage.
From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg
Ahead of the 9/11 commemorations, some Gander residents had called for Hoekstra's invite to be rescinded.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
The council vote this week rescinded the bans in discretionary zones, which had been established at the urging of former District 13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, who was defeated for reelection by Soto-Martínez in 2022.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Members of Congress have rescinded their endorsements, and ideological allies like Sanders and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have urged him to step aside.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
FIFA's decision came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called for the card to be rescinded.
From Barron's ● Jul. 5, 2026
Anticipating this ruling, the army’s Western Defense Command had already announced that the mass exclusion orders of 1942 were being rescinded.
From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston
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
Musk's appeal to get his pay packet reinstated argues that the lower court made legal errors when rescinding his pay package.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2025
He had some challenges in the classroom in his first semester, leading to Saban rescinding his permission to let Gates play basketball in addition to football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2025
In theory it may have been correct enough; the statutes as enacted by Queen Elizabeth reserved to herself and her successors the power of rescinding or altering them.
From St. John's College, Cambridge by E. H. (Edmund Hort) New
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.
