annulment

/əˈnʌlmɪnt/

/əˈnʌlmɪnt/

Other forms: annulments

An annulment is the cancellation of revocation of something, like a marriage. After an annulment, it's like the marriage never happened.

The root nul (from Latin nullum) of this word is a good clue to its meaning: the underlying verb annul originally meant "reduce to nothing." An annulment also reduces something to nothing by canceling or terminating it, usually in a legal sense. The most common use of the term is the annulment of a marriage, which not only ends the marriage, but legally makes it as if the marriage never happened. Annulment is like a legal eraser.

Definitions of annulment

1. noun

   the act of abrogating; an official or legal cancellation
   synonyms: abrogation, repeal

   types:

   derogation

   (law) the partial taking away of the effectiveness of a law; a partial repeal or abolition of a law

   vacation

   the act of making something legally void

   recall

   the act of removing an official by petition

   revocation

   the act (by someone having the authority) of annulling something previously done

   type of:

   cancellation

   the act of cancelling; calling off some arrangement
2. noun

   the state of being cancelled or annulled
   synonyms: revocation

   type of:

   state

   the way something is with respect to its main attributes
3. noun

   (law) a formal termination (of a relationship or a judicial proceeding etc)
   synonyms: invalidation

   types:

   dissolution of marriage

   an annulment of a marriage

   type of:

   breakup, dissolution

   the termination or disintegration of a relationship (between persons or nations)