annulment

noun

an·​nul·​ment ə-ˈnəl-mənt 

1

: the act of annulling something : the state of being annulled

2

: a judicial or ecclesiastical pronouncement declaring a marriage invalid

Did you know?

Annulment usually applies to marriage. In some states an annulment may be carried out by a court ("judicial annulment"), but annulment is generally practiced by a church ("ecclesiastic annulment"), and principally the Roman Catholic Church, which traditionally hasn't permitted divorce. The usual acceptable reason for annulment is a "failure to consummate" the marriage by having children. Unlike a marriage that ends in divorce, an annulled marriage is considered never to have existed. Other things can be annulled as well, including a contract (if one party fails to comply with its terms) or an election (if it wasn't carried out properly).

Synonyms

• abatement
• abolishment
• abolition
• abrogation
• avoidance
• cancellation
• cancelation
• defeasance
• dissolution
• invalidation
• negation
• nullification
• quashing
• repeal
• rescindment
• voiding

Examples of annulment in a Sentence

an annulment of that hastily conceived marriage can't come too soon

Recent Examples on the Web

In December 1925, the all-white, all-male jury denied Leonard an annulment. —Bryan Greene, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Nov. 2024

In a press release, the court said the annulment was based on Article 146(f) of the Constitution, emphasizing the need to ensure the correctness and legality of the electoral process. —Sophie Tanno, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

But an annulment would serve their legal and social objectives better than a divorce. —Bryan Greene, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Nov. 2024

Her ex-husband also filed paperwork for an annulment on the grounds of fraud. —Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 23 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

annulment

noun

an·​nul·​ment ə-ˈnəl-mənt 

1

: the act of annulling : the state of being annulled

2

: a declaration by a court that a marriage is invalid compare divorce