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void

VOYD /vɔɪd/

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formalbusinesslegal

To make (something) invalid or null; to cancel a transaction. As a noun, an empty space or a feeling of emptiness. As an adjective, not valid or legally binding.

In retail, it specifically means to cancel a sale or transaction before it's fully processed, making it as if it never happened. In legal terms, 'null and void' means without legal effect.

The story behind the word. The word 'void' comes from the Old French 'voide', meaning 'empty, vacant, hollow'. This, in turn, has roots in Latin 'vacuus' (empty). The sense of 'making empty' or 'making nothing' led to its use in legal contexts to mean 'null and invalid', and later in retail to mean 'to cancel a transaction, making it as if it were empty or never happened'.

Word relationships

cancel: More general term for stopping something; 'void' often implies making it legally or officially invalid.
invalidate: To make something no longer valid or effective.
annul: To declare (a marriage or other legal contract) invalid.

validate: To make or declare legally or officially true or valid.
confirm: To establish the truth or correctness of something.

Commonly confused with

refund: To 'void' a transaction means to cancel it before it's completed (no money exchanged or immediately reversed); a 'refund' is money given back after a completed transaction.

Word family

avoid (verb): To keep away from or stop oneself from doing (something).

Collocations

void a transaction
null and void
fill the void
void check

Idioms & expressions

null and void

Example sentences

"The cashier had to void the entire order because she scanned the wrong item." A cashier making a mistake.
"Any contract signed under duress is considered null and void." Legal document.
"After everyone left, a profound void settled over the once-lively house." A feeling of emptiness.

Memory hook

Think of 'VOID' as creating a 'void' or empty space where the transaction used to be, making it null. Cancel, make empty

When not to use

While 'void' can mean an empty space, in a retail context, it almost exclusively refers to canceling a transaction. Do not use it for simply 'deleting' something if it doesn't imply invalidation.

Fun facts

In legal documents, the phrase 'null and void' is often used for emphasis, though 'void' alone carries the same legal meaning.

Related words

refund, transaction, authorize

Explore more words

repeal, irrevocable, revoke, stateless, naught, invoke

Also appears in

Law → Contracts & Agreements