repeal
C1Formal, Legal, Political
Definition
Meaning
To officially revoke or annul (a law or act of parliament).
To formally withdraw or cancel a previous decision, regulation, or agreement.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly implies an official, formal reversal through authoritative procedure. Often used with abstract nouns (law, act, regulation). Less commonly used for personal decisions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Used identically in legal/political contexts.
Connotations
Conveys a sense of formal legislative action in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British English due to parliamentary discourse (e.g., 'repeal the Corn Laws' as historical reference).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject (govt/body)] + repeal + [Object (law/act)]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Repeal and replace (political slogan)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The new board voted to repeal the outdated dress code policy.
Academic
The historian analysed the movement to repeal the controversial 18th Amendment.
Everyday
There's a petition going around to repeal the new parking fines.
Technical
The committee recommended they repeal subsection 4.2 of the bylaws.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Parliament may repeal the Act if it receives sufficient cross-party support.
- The campaign seeks to repeal the legislation on vehicle emissions.
American English
- The state legislature voted to repeal the old blue law.
- They are trying to repeal the controversial healthcare mandate.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form derived from 'repeal'.
American English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form derived from 'repeal'.
adjective
British English
- The repeal motion was debated for hours.
- A repeal bill was introduced in the House of Lords.
American English
- The repeal effort gained momentum after the election.
- Repeal legislation is pending in the committee.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The government will repeal the old rule.
- They want to repeal this law.
- The new party promised to repeal the unpopular tax.
- It is difficult to repeal a law once it is passed.
- After much debate, the council voted narrowly to repeal the zoning restrictions.
- The senator introduced an amendment to repeal the controversial clause.
- Advocates argued that to repeal the statute would undermine decades of established precedent.
- The judiciary committee is reviewing the grounds on which to repeal the regulatory framework.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'REverse the apPEAL' of a law. To repeal is to take back its appeal/validity.
Conceptual Metaphor
LAWS ARE STRUCTURES (to repeal is to dismantle/tear down).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'повторять' (to repeat). The Russian closer equivalent is 'отменять', 'аннулировать'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'repeal' for informal decisions (e.g., 'I repealed my dinner plans' - incorrect). Confusing with 'repeat' due to similar spelling.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'repeal' used MOST appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, for laws, acts, and official regulations. It can be used for formal rules or charters within organisations, but not for personal plans.
The noun is also 'repeal' (e.g., 'the repeal of the law').
'Repeal' is formal and specific to officially enacted rules/laws. 'Cancel' is broader and informal (cancel a subscription, cancel plans).
Often, but 'revoke' is broader (can revoke a licence, passport, offer). 'Repeal' is almost exclusively for legislative or quasi-legislative acts.