Does repeal mean to overturn?

Asked by: Giovanna Lubowitz  |  Last update: December 7, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (11 votes)

A repeal (O.F. rapel, modern rappel, from rapeler, rappeler, revoke, re and appeler, appeal) is the removal or reversal of a law.

What does repeal mean in simple terms?

to revoke or withdraw formally or officially: to repeal a grant. to revoke or annul (a law, tax, duty, etc.) by express legislative enactment; abrogate.

Does repeal mean to take back?

To repeal something — usually a law, ordinance or public policy — is to take it back. For example, dog lovers might want the town council to repeal the law that says residents can have no more than four dogs.

What does the term repeal refer to?

1. : to rescind or annul by authoritative act. especially : to revoke or abrogate by legislative enactment. 2. : abandon, renounce.

What does it mean when a case is repealed?

Repeal means to cancel or get rid of a law. This can happen in two ways: either by passing a new law that specifically says the old law is no longer valid, or by passing a new law that contradicts the old law so much that it's clear the old law is no longer in effect.

ST Explains: How is a law repealed?

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What happens to a law when it is repealed?

When statutes are repealed, their text is simply deleted from the Code and replaced by a note summarizing what used to be there. Once deleted, the repealed statute no longer has the force of law. All repeals of parts of the US Code are, therefore, express repeals.

What is the difference between revoke and repeal?

“repeal” means the same (to annul or countermand some decision), but is used when the decision is a law, or a regulation with similar status. “revoke” means the same (to annul or countermand some decision), but is used when the decision is a decree, or some form of permission issued by an official.

What is the other word for repeal?

Recent Examples of Synonyms for repeal. cancel. abolish. withdraw. abolition.

What term means to overturn legally?

SYNONYMS. cancel, reverse, rescind, repeal, revoke, retract, countermand, withdraw, take back, rule against, disallow, override, overrule, veto, set aside, quash, overthrow, repudiate, recant, annul, nullify, declare null and void, invalidate, negate, void, abrogate.

How does a law get overturned?

If the Governor vetoes the bill, a two-thirds vote in each house is needed to override the veto. The Governor's Office releases veto messages which explain the veto; these messages are available from the Governor's Office and on the Internet. A wealth of legislative information is now available on the Internet.

Does repeal mean abolish?

abolish is usually used in the context of formally banning something or putting an end to something. ex. Slavery was abolished in the US in the 1800's. Repeal refers to when a law a governmental act is taken back and revoked.

What is the legal term for take back?

e : to take back (as a license or a grant of parole or probation) esp. because of misconduct. re·vok·er n. Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996.

Is repeal the same as rescind?

Rescind, Repeal and Annul are all synonyms for the same motion, which is itself half of a pair of twin motions covered in RONR 12th ed. §35, Rescind; Amend Something Previously Adopted.

What are examples of repealed?

Had that section been repealed, those offences would have been abolished. I should have thought that they would be inclined to keep the provision rather than repealing it. I have heard no reason why it is being repealed. Most people know that the "sus" law is to be repealed.

What word means to cancel out undo or repeal?

Definitions of rescind. verb. cancel officially. synonyms: annul, countermand, lift, overturn, repeal, reverse, revoke, vacate.

Why was the 18th Amendment repealed?

Repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment

Nationwide Prohibition quickly fell out of favor with the American public because of ineffective enforcement, harsh enforcement techniques, crime related to the illegal liquor traffic, a need for tax revenue during the Great Depression, and widespread defiance of the law.

What does repeal mean in simple words?

to revoke or withdraw formally or officially. to repeal a grant. 2. to revoke or annul (a law, tax, duty, etc.) by express legislative enactment; abrogate.

What is a word for overturning?

overturn (verb as in flip over) Strongest matches. annul capsize invalidate nullify repeal rescind reverse set aside topple void. Strong matches. countermand down invert overbalance prostrate roll spill tumble upend upset upturn.

What happens when a case is overturned?

When your conviction or sentence is overturned, you are set for a new trial unless you were found actually innocent through the Habeas Corpus process. In most cases, this means your case will return to the trial court, and you will be given the opportunity to bond out of jail.

What does it mean when a law is repealed?

repeal. 1) v. to annul an existing law, by passage of a repealing statute, or by public vote on a referendum. Repeal of constitutional provisions requires an amendment, as with the repeal of prohibition in which the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment.

What is another word for annul or repeal?

Some common synonyms of annul are abrogate, invalidate, negate, and nullify. While all these words mean "to deprive of effective or continued existence," annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

Is repeal the same as amend?

Amendments are often used when it is better to change the document than to write a new one. Repeal is the removal or reversal of a law, and is generally done when a law is no longer effective, or it is having negative consequences.

Can a law be overturned?

Judicial review: Federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have the power to declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional, thereby invalidating them.

What is it called when a law is passed?

Enactment of a Law - Congress.gov Resources | Congress.gov | Library of Congress.

Can bills be reversed?

The Committee can pass the bill, pass the bill as amended, or defeat the bill.