revoke
ri-VOHK
/rɪˈvoʊk/
To officially cancel or take back a decree, decision, or privilege.
Specifically used for formal permissions like licenses, laws, or invitations.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'revocare', meaning 'to call back'. It combines 're-' (back) and 'vocare' (to call).
Word relationships
- rescind: Rescind is very similar but often used specifically for laws or contracts.
- annul: Annul means to declare something invalid, often used for marriages or elections.
- grant: Grant means to formally give or allow.
- ratify: Ratify means to give formal consent to a treaty or agreement.
Commonly confused with
- invoke: Invoke is to call a law into use; revoke is to call it back or cancel it.
Word family
- revocation (noun): The official cancellation of a decree or promise.
Collocations
- revoke a license
- revoke a privilege
- revoke an offer
- revoke a law
Example sentences
- "The authorities decided to revoke his driver's license after the third offense." Legal consequences
- "The offer was revoked before the company could respond." Formal agreements
Memory hook
Revoke = Re (back) + Voke (call). You are calling it back. Revoke = Recall a vote.
When not to use
Do not use 'revoke' for informally taking back a physical object (like a toy); use it for abstract rights or permissions.
Fun facts
- In card games like Bridge, a 'revoke' is a failure to follow suit when able to do so.
Related words
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