Standard Lemma guide

nullify

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈnʌlɪfaɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: N AH1 L AH0 F AY2 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make legally invalid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: law

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: cancel, void, quash
  • The contract has been nullified.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cancel, void, quash

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To prevent from happening.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To make of no use or value; to cancel out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Her optimism neutralizes his gloom
  • This action will negate the effect of my efforts

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: neutralize, neutralise, negate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: weaken

5

verb

Meaning 5

show to be invalid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: invalidate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: negate, contradict

6

verb

Meaning 6

declare invalid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The contract was annulled
  • void a plea

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: invalidate, annul, quash, void, avoid

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cancel, strike down

Narrower terms: break, stet

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English null Latin -i- Proto-Indo-European *dheh1-der. Proto-Italic *θakos Proto-Italic *-fakos Latin -ficus Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin -ficō Latin -ificāreder. Old French -ifierbor. Middle English -ifien English -ify English nullify From null + -ify.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: анулирам (anuliram) — make legally invalid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 使無效 /使无效 (shǐ wúxiào) — make legally invalid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 廢除 /废除 (fèichú) — make legally invalid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 宣告無效 /宣告无效 (xuāngào wúxiào) — make legally invalid
  • Dutch: annuleren — make legally invalid
  • Dutch: vernietigen — make legally invalid
  • Dutch: ongedaan maken — make legally invalid
  • Finnish: mitätöidä — make legally invalid
  • French: annuler — make legally invalid
  • French: nullifier — make legally invalid
  • German: annullieren — make legally invalid
  • Greek: ακυρώνω (akyróno) — make legally invalid
  • Ancient Greek: ἀθετέω (athetéō) — make legally invalid
  • Hebrew: בִּטֵּל (bitél) — make legally invalid
  • Hungarian: érvénytelenít — make legally invalid
  • Hungarian: hatálytalanít — make legally invalid
  • Interlingua: nullificar — make legally invalid
  • Italian: annullare — make legally invalid
  • Italian: cassare — make legally invalid
  • Japanese: 取り消す (torikesu) — make legally invalid
  • Japanese: 破棄する (haki suru) — make legally invalid
  • Korean: 취소하다 (chwisohada) — make legally invalid
  • Māori: whakakāhore — make legally invalid
  • Portuguese: anular — make legally invalid
  • Portuguese: cassar — make legally invalid
  • Romanian: a anula — make legally invalid
  • Russian: аннули́ровать (annulírovatʹ) — make legally invalid
  • Spanish: anular — make legally invalid
  • Spanish: derogar — make legally invalid
  • Spanish: abrogar — make legally invalid
  • Spanish: casar — make legally invalid
  • Swedish: omintetgöra — make legally invalid
  • Swedish: annullera — make legally invalid
  • Swedish: upphäva — make legally invalid
  • Swedish: ogiltigförklara — make legally invalid
  • Ottoman Turkish: ابطال ایتمك (ibtâl etmek) — make legally invalid
  • Ottoman Turkish: بوزمق (bozmak) — make legally invalid
  • Ukrainian: нуліфікува́ти (nulifikuváty) — make legally invalid
  • Ukrainian: скасо́вувати (skasóvuvaty) — make legally invalid
  • Ukrainian: скасува́ти (skasuváty) — make legally invalid
  • Yiddish: מבֿטל זײַן (mevatl zayn) — make legally invalid
  • Bulgarian: неутрализирам (neutraliziram) — prevent from happening
  • Chinese Mandarin: 阻止 (zǔzhǐ) — prevent from happening
  • Chinese Mandarin: 防止 (fángzhǐ) — prevent from happening
  • Finnish: estää — prevent from happening
  • Finnish: ehkäistä — prevent from happening
  • French: annuler — prevent from happening
  • Hungarian: megakadályoz — prevent from happening
  • Portuguese: evitar — prevent from happening
  • Chinese Mandarin: 使無用 /使无用 (shǐ wúyòng) — make of no use or value
  • Chinese Mandarin: 抵消 (dǐxiāo) — make of no use or value
  • Finnish: kumota — make of no use or value
  • Finnish: mitätöidä — make of no use or value
  • French: annuler — make of no use or value
  • Italian: neutralizzare — make of no use or value
  • Spanish: anular — make of no use or value
  • Spanish: nulificar — make of no use or value
  • Spanish: invalidar — make of no use or value