strike down

verb

struck down; struck down also stricken down; striking down; strikes down
Synonyms of strike downnext

transitive verb

: annul, nullify
The board struck down the appointment.
especially : to declare (a law) illegal and unenforceable
The Supreme Court struck down the law.

Synonyms of strike down

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Examples of strike down in a Sentence

a law that was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court as unconstitutional
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The high court dealt Trump both of the losses during the term that ended in June, striking down his executive order to end birthright citizenship and blocking his attempt to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook. — Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 7 Aug. 2026 The ruling struck down 1971 and 2001 decisions that limited how much money political parties could spend in coordination with candidates. — Gerald Scorse, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 But the Supreme Court on June 30 struck down that order, saying it couldn’t be reconciled with the 14th Amendment. — Chad De Guzman, Time, 7 Aug. 2026 The nonpartisan Tax Foundation estimated the tariffs that were struck down --known as IEEPA tariffs -- cost the typical American household $700 last year. — Elizabeth Schulze, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for strike down

Word History

First Known Use

1779, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strike down was in 1779

Rhymes for strike down

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Browse Nearby Words

strike-dog
strike down
strike fault
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Strike down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike%20down. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

strike down

verb
: to make null and void : annul
struck down the proposal
especially : to declare (a law) illegal and unenforceable
the court struck down the law

Legal Definition

strike down

transitive verb
: annul, nullify
the trustee…can strike down transfers—J. J. White and R. S. Summers
especially : to declare (a law) illegal and unenforceable
the court struck down death penalty provisions —L. H. Tribe

More from Merriam-Webster on strike down

Nglish: Translation of strike down for Spanish Speakers

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