verb

negate

/nɪˈɡeɪt/ · say it: nih·GAYT

to nullify or make ineffective

In Formal & Academic

In more detail

1. (verb) to say that something is not true or to deny something

2. (verb) to make something have no effect or to cancel something out

Examples

1. The witness's testimony negated the defendant's alibi.
2. Regular exercise negates the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

How to use negate

Negate is used in formal contexts to mean either denying the truth of something (close to 'refute' or 'deny') or canceling out or neutralizing an effect (close to 'nullify' or 'invalidate'). The second sense is particularly common in academic, legal, and technical writing where one thing counteracts another.

Common phrases

negate the effects
negate a contract
negate the argument
negate the impact
completely negate

Synonyms

deny · refute · cancel out · nullify · invalidate

Opposites

affirm · confirm · validate

Word family

negation · negative · negatively

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse negate with negative; negative is primarily an adjective or noun, while negate is a verb meaning to deny or cancel out.

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