What does abrogate mean?
To abrogate is to abolish or annul something formally and with authority — most often a law, treaty, agreement, or long-standing custom. The word belongs to formal registers: it appears in legal judgments, diplomatic communiqués, and political commentary far more often than in everyday conversation. A legislature may abrogate an outdated statute; a government may be accused of seeking to abrogate an international accord; critics may charge that officials have abrogated their responsibilities, meaning they have evaded duties they were bound to perform. Derived from Latin roots meaning 'to propose away' — literally to repeal a proposal — it carries connotations of official, deliberate action rather than casual cancellation. It should not be confused with arrogate, which means to claim something without right. For writers on law, governance, or international affairs, abrogate offers precision that blunter words like 'cancel' cannot match.
verbTo abolish or annul formally and authoritatively, especially a law, treaty, agreement, or custom.
- To repeal or annul formally (a law, treaty, agreement, or custom), typically by an authoritative act.
- (Less common) To disregard or evade a duty or obligation.
"The new government moved to abrogate the treaty signed by its predecessor."
"Parliament voted to abrogate the centuries-old statute."
"Critics accused the administration of abrogating its obligations under the accord."
The word 'abrogate' comes from the same Latin root as 'interrogate' — one root asks questions, the other cancels answers.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abrogate
Abrogate derives from the Latin verb abrogare, formed from ab- ('away from') and rogare ('to ask, propose'), so it originally meant to repeal a law by formally proposing its removal — legislation was 'asked' into being and could be 'asked' out. It entered English in the early 16th century, initially in legal and ecclesiastical contexts concerning the repeal of statutes and canons. It shares the rogare root with interrogate, arrogate, derogate, and prerogative, all of which involve asking, questioning, or claiming in some form.
Related word forms
How abrogate is actually used
Formal register, used chiefly in legal, political, and diplomatic contexts. The transitive sense of evading a duty ('abrogate responsibility') is well established in journalism. Never used of informal cancellations — rescheduling a meeting is not abrogating it.
Easily confused with abrogate
Arrogate means to claim or seize something without justification (often rights or power), whereas abrogate means to cancel or annul something such as a law or agreement.
Abdicate means to renounce or give up a throne, office, or responsibility, while abrogate means to formally repeal or annul a law or agreement.