• Today's Word

Abrogate

🔊 Listen to the word Abrogate

AB-ruh-gayt

Definition

(verb) To abolish, repeal, or put an end to something (especially a law, policy, or agreement).

Example

The committee voted to abrogate the outdated regulation, clearing the way for more modern standards.

Word Origin

From Latin abrogare, meaning “to repeal” or “to take away by law.”

Fun Fact

The word abrogate often appears in legal, political, and diplomatic contexts because it refers to formal or authoritative cancellation—not just casual discontinuing. Interestingly, some treaties have been “abrogated by conduct,” meaning nations effectively ended them simply by acting differently rather than announcing a repeal. The term highlights how powerful the act of unmaking a rule can be—sometimes as impactful as creating one.