1 negate | Definition of negate
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negate

verb
ne·​gate | \ ni-ˈgāt How to pronounce negate (audio) \
negated; negating

Definition of negate

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.
Other Words from negate Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about negate

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Other Words from negate

negate noun
negator \ ni-​ˈgā-​tər How to pronounce negator (audio) \ noun

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

 But Estevez’s messy outing, which followed a solid four-out performance by southpaw Jake McGee, negated those winning vibes in LoDo. — Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, "Carlos Estevez sparks Colorado’s latest bullpen implosion, negates comeback by fading Rockies in loss to Giants," 3 Aug. 2019 But the cost doesn’t negate The Wing’s feminist work to hold space for women and gender nonbinary people. — JeneĂ© Osterheldt, BostonGlobe.com, "Can a black woman fly at The Wing?," 31 July 2019 But advances in internal hub gearing systems coupled with the rise of inexpensive electric motors and batteries mostly negates those advantages, especially for riding in flat cities. — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, "Byar Volta is a shaft-driven e-bike that might never need charging," 17 July 2019 England's Ellen White had negated Christen Press's early opener, but on her 30th birthday, Alex Morgan headed home before the break to score what proved to be the winner. — Aimee Lewis, CNN, "USWNT advances to Women's World Cup final with narrow win over England," 2 July 2019 Everything voters mandated with that amendment has been negated because 
 Budget Isolation Resolution. — al.com, "How I learned to quit worrying and love the special session," 3 June 2019 But funds with sales charges will negate this edge over the near term. — Eric Uhlfelder, WSJ, "Preferred Stocks Beckon If Interest Rates Behave," 9 Dec. 2018 But the increase could be negated as rising rates keep some people on the sidelines, and some buyers opt for a lower-cost but nice off-lease used car. — Tom Krisher And Dee-ann Durbin, Houston Chronicle, "Autonomous cars loom, but the Detroit auto show goes on," 17 Jan. 2018 Vernon Hargreaves, after getting beat for a 43-yard pass by James Washington, came back with an interception that was negated by offsetting holding penalties. — Rick Stroud, orlandosentinel.com, "A lot to like in Bucs’ preseason opener, even if it came against Steelers’ backups," 10 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'negate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of negate

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for negate

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

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More Definitions for negate

negate

verb
How to pronounce negate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of negate

formal
: to cause (something) to not be effective
grammar : to make (a word or phrase) negative

See the full definition for negate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on negate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with negate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for negate

Spanish Central: Translation of negate

Nglish: Translation of negate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of negate for Arabic Speakers

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