1
: the act of annulling something : the state of being annulled
2
: a judicial or ecclesiastical pronouncement declaring a marriage invalid

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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).

Examples of annulment in a Sentence

an annulment of that hastily conceived marriage can't come too soon
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.
Father had to obtain an annulment, which is a very difficult thing. Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for annulment 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of annulment was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near annulment

Cite this Entry

“Annulment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annulment. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

Legal Definition

annulment

noun
1
: the act of annulling : the state of being annulled
2
: a declaration by a court that a marriage is invalid compare divorce

More from Merriam-Webster on annulment

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