revoke

[ri-vohk]

verb (used with object)

revoked, revoking 

1. to take back or withdraw; annul, cancel, or reverse; rescind or repeal.

   to revoke a decree.

   Synonyms: countermand, nullify, recall, retract

2. to bring or summon back.

verb (used without object)

revoked, revoking 

1. Cards.,  to fail to follow suit when possible and required; renege.

noun

1. Cards.,  an act or instance of revoking.

revoke

/ rɪˈvəʊk /

verb

1. (tr) to take back or withdraw; cancel; rescind

   to revoke a law

2. (intr) cards to break a rule of play by failing to follow suit when able to do so; renege

noun

1. cards the act of revoking; a renege

Other Word Forms

• revoker noun
• revokingly adverb
• unrevoked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of revoke¹

1300–50; Middle English revoken < Latin revocāre to call again, equivalent to re- re- + vocāre to call

Word History and Origins

Origin of revoke¹

C14: from Latin revocāre to call back, withdraw, from _re- + vocāre to call

Example Sentences

In addition, Cutler’s Tennessee drivers license was revoked for a year and he was ordered to pay a $350 fine, undergo regular and random drug screens and attend a DUI class.

From Los Angeles Times

The chipmaker was notified by the US government that its authorisation to export advanced technology to China would be revoked by the end of the year.

From BBC

The regulator will eventually have the power to revoke licenses for football club owners, effectively forcing them out.

From BBC

Some scam texts might say your licence will be revoked if you don't pay for the ticket but "that's not how it works, you won't lose your license".

From BBC

Israel in turn revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, the internationally-backed governing body of the Palestinians, which is based in the West Bank.

From BBC

Related Words

• abolish 
• abrogate 
• annul 
• deny 
• dismantle 
• dismiss 
• invalidate 
• lift 
• nullify 
• quash 
• remove 
• renounce 
• repeal 
• rescind 
• retract 
• reverse 
• set aside 
• vacate 
• void 
• withdraw 

When To Use

What does revoke mean?

Revoke means to take back, withdraw, or cancel.Revoke is typically used in the context of officially taking back or cancelling some kind of right, status, or privilege that has already been given or approved. Passports and laws can be revoked, for example.The process or an instance of revoking is called revocation.A much more specific and less common sense of the word revoke is used in the context of card games, in which it means to break the rules by failing to follow suit when possible or required, such as in the game of bridge.Example: The principal threatened to revoke our senior privileges if there are any pranks.