negate

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3
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 That embrace, just a day after the Democratic convention, may have negated Harris’s bounce heading into a dead-heat election — where a shift of as few as 115,000 voters would have given Harris the presidency. Rob Richie, Twin Cities, 12 Mar. 2025 This alone could negate tens of thousands of dollars in savings for many borrowers. Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 These are immune to jamming, and negated Ukraine’s advantage in electronic warfare. David Hambling, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 Our Constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech — which vanish into thin air when negated by Gestapo-like tactics by our own government. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for negate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negate
Verb
  • The original post about Hailey's like has seemingly been removed and the model has denied the allegations through a rep.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citing Trump's executive order that the U.S. now only recognizes two sexes, male and female, says if the gender listed on an applicant's passport does not match their gender assigned at birth, their travel permit or visa application can be denied.
    Chandelis Duster, NPR, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Even before abolishing the department, the Trump administration blocked student loan forgiveness and repayment plans, slashed department staffing, and wiped the federal watchdog agency tasked with overseeing student loan servicing and collections.
    Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Republicans have been trying to abolish the department for decades, including a bill introduced in the House of Representatives in January.
    Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Influencers and consumers alike took to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to discredit the brand and show their support for competitors such as Olipop.
    John Hall, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Roberts had been a judge for only about two years when he was nominated for the Supreme Court, so his judicial record was quite thin, and some Democrats and their allies hoped to point to his work as a lawyer to discredit him.
    Ian Millhiser, Vox, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In an interview with CNN, Goldberg refuted that claim.
    Nik Popli, TIME, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The journalist and filmmaker, who is descended from a family that was decimated in the Holocaust, has categorically refuted these accusations.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • With state universities and colleges continuing to see turnover of presidents, a House panel Wednesday unanimously approved a bill that would repeal a law shielding information about presidential candidates from public disclosure.
    Jim Saunders, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
  • If Congress were to defund the IMLS rather than repeal its authorizing statute, the agency would be forced to cease operations due to a lack of money, even if the legal framework for its existence remained intact.
    Devon Akmon, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The company must take the job listing down and reject all the candidates that applied.
    Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
  • In May 2023, in an election monitored by USA Hockey, CAHA members rejected Kanai in favor of the association’s new president, Brian Smith, who promptly terminated Schaffer.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Universal was fined $1.3 million by state regulators in 2013 for canceling customers’ policies without justification and shifting profits to affiliate companies.
    Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Streaming series, which represents a larger share of TV viewing, aren't included in the survey because they are renewed or canceled throughout the year.
    Gary Levin, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Soundproofing your apartment and crate-training your pup will help your dog bark less and avoid complaints from angry neighbors.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
  • To avoid repeating last season’s miscues, Monachino said the defensive staff has designed a simple system to help players execute more effectively.
    Michael Howes, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Negate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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