negate

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as in to discredit
to think not to be true or real you simply can't negate your feelings for someone, even if they don't feel the same way about you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb negate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of negate are abrogate, annul, invalidate, and nullify. While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

How do abrogate and annul relate to one another, in the sense of negate?

Abrogate is like annul but more definitely implies a legal or official act.

a law to abrogate trading privileges

When is it sensible to use annul instead of negate?

The words annul and negate can be used in similar contexts, but annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

the treaty annuls all previous agreements

When could invalidate be used to replace negate?

The synonyms invalidate and negate are sometimes interchangeable, but invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness.

the court invalidated the statute

When might nullify be a better fit than negate?

In some situations, the words nullify and negate are roughly equivalent. However, nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something.

a penalty nullified the touchdown

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of negate Villa have suffered unrelenting injuries, a congested schedule and, naturally, opposition analysis has more examples of Emery’s game plans and therefore the knowledge to negate their strengths. Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025 Too late and Tyson will throw up a block, negating the punch entirely. Ars Technica, 9 Feb. 2025 That could negate savings realized from his plans to cut spending, cut taxes and increase fossil fuel drilling licenses. David Goldman, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025 In a separate deal, the Nets re-acquired their own 2025 first-round selection from the Houston Rockets, negating a previous swap. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for negate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negate
Verb
  • Their findings paint a more complicated picture, one that her mother has denied.
    Brian Brant, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Many criticized his decision as a capitulation to Donald Trump, though Bezos denied those claims.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the current administration under President Trump has moved to abolish federal DEI programs.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025
  • That was weeks after the end of the U.S. Civil War but months before the 13th Amendment abolished slavery nationwide.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • But Dickens claims the opposite, and argues that the research purporting to discredit spelling has fallen out of date.
    Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Incident brought ‘discredit to the Sheriff’s Office’ Sgt.
    Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Writer/director Isaiah Saxon, who made his directorial debut with the feature, took to X to refute assumptions that AI was involved.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Two recent reports may refute the view, fueled by recent accidents, that commercial aviation has somehow become less safe.
    Ted Reed, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Democrats see the Medicaid cuts that are likely to be included in whatever legislation House Republicans put together as a salient line of political attack, akin to their efforts to campaign in 2018 on the GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
    Compiled by Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports, arkansasonline.com, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The resolution would unlock a mega-reconciliation bill to bolster oil and gas drilling and repeal IRA programs.
    Nick Sobczyk, Axios, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Albritton has rejected the idea of passing an open carry bill this year.
    Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025
  • While some states complied and the NCAA revised its own trans athlete policy, states like Minnesota have rejected changes to their policies.
    Scott Thompson, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • First, the Eye network canceled the FBI spinoffs FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.
    Marc Berman, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • South Korean law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect while pursuing an appeal, even after the suspect's arrest is canceled by a court.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Unfortunately, Hartford continues to avoid the heavy lifting that is required to have a successful system.
    Vincent Turley, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Pet owners should also ensure that their felines' rabies vaccinations are up to date to avoid the risk of confusion between the two viral infections.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Negate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on negate

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