Meaning
Negate means to deny, nullify, or make something ineffective. It can be used in both logical/abstract contexts (to contradict or deny) and practical contexts (to make something useless or invalid).
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Verb
- Verb forms: negate – negates – negated – negating
- Transitivity: Transitive
Typical structures:
- negate + noun (negate an argument, negate a claim)
- negate the need for + noun (negate the need for extra work)
Common Phrases
- negate the possibility – deny or make something impossible
- negate the need – make something unnecessary
- negate an argument – prove an argument false
- negate the effect – cancel out an effect
Collocations
- verb + noun: negate a claim, negate a theory, negate a benefit, negate progress
- adjective + negate: completely negate, effectively negate, almost negate
Examples
- Regular exercise can negate the harmful effects of a poor diet.
- The witness’s testimony negated the defendant’s alibi.
- His apology does not negate the pain he caused.
- Advances in technology may negate the need for manual labor.
- One error in calculation can negate all your previous work.
- The ruling effectively negated the earlier decision.
- A strong rebuttal can negate the opponent’s argument.
- The new evidence negated the possibility of an accident.
Synonyms or Related
- cancel
- invalidate
- nullify
- deny
- contradict
- neutralize