negate

verb

ne·​gate ni-ˈgāt How to pronounce negate (audio)
negated; negating
Synonyms of negatenext

transitive verb

1
: to deny the existence or truth of
negated and denied her own honest reactions—Sara H. Hay
2
: to cause to be ineffective or invalid
Alcohol can negate the effects of some medicines.
negate noun
negator
ni-ˈgā-tər How to pronounce negate (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for negate

nullify, negate, annul, abrogate, invalidate mean to deprive of effective or continued existence.

nullify implies counteracting completely the force, effectiveness, or value of something.

a penalty nullified the touchdown

negate implies the destruction or canceling out of each of two things by the other.

the arguments negate each other

annul suggests making ineffective or nonexistent often by legal or official action.

the treaty annuls all previous agreements

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

a law to abrogate trading privileges

invalidate implies making something powerless or unacceptable by declaration of its logical or moral or legal unsoundness.

the court invalidated the statute

Examples of negate in a Sentence

The fact that she lied about her work experience negated the contract. a verb that is negated by “not”
Recent Examples on the Web The advent of the wristwatch negated its function entirely, with the wearer’s three-dimensional movements keeping accuracy in check. —The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024 Whatever lies beneath Amazon’s sordid underbelly doesn’t unilaterally negate the genuine good a service like Amazon Pharmacy can have on the world. —Steven Aquino, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024 In addition, negating painful memories and trying to proceed as if everything is normal contorts one’s emotional life and results in untoward effects. —George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024 In the 34th minute, an apparent breakaway goal by Anders was negated by an obvious offside penalty. —Jim Lindgren, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 Eating more radishes will not negate the risk alone, but there may be a beneficial relationship between the vegetable and the disease. —Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 13 Apr. 2024 Both rulings tended to negate a 2023 ruling from federal Judge Analisa Torres of New York in an SEC enforcement action against Ripple, the developer of a crypto token known as XRP. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024 Serafini and Emporio Armani, luminescent golden hair brought light to models’ faces, negating the need for copious amounts of makeup. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2024 After describing its construction and use, the report offers expert witness testimony negating Scientologists’ claims, based on the modern understanding of electrical resistance. —IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'negate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin negātus, past participle of negāre "to say (with the negative of a conjoined clause), deny, withhold, say no," delocutive derivative of nec "no, not" — more at neglect entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of negate was circa 1623

Dictionary Entries Near negate

negara

negate

negation

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Negate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negate. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

negate

verb
ne·​gate ni-ˈgāt How to pronounce negate (audio)
negated; negating
1
: to deny the existence or truth of
2
: to cause to be ineffective or invalid
the discovery negates all previous theories

More from Merriam-Webster on negate

Nglish: Translation of negate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of negate for Arabic Speakers

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