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 Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear a case about the role race plays in middle school admissions, three years after a majority on the high court struck down affirmative action in college. — Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026 In June, justices struck down protections against firing Federal Trade Commission commissioners without cause, expanding presidential control over independent agencies. — Connor Greene, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 The Supreme Court struck down his efforts to restrict mail voting. — Amber Phillips, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026 The three attorneys general filed a separate action directly with the Supreme Court asking it to strike down shield laws in New York, Massachusetts and California. — Cassandra Jaramillo, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 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
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Cite this Entry

“Strike down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike%20down. Accessed 27 Oct. 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
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