annul

/əˈnʌl/

//əˈnʌl// verb

"annul" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“annul” is an uncommon English word, ranked #53,371 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#53,371
frequency rank, English
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To formally revoke the validity of.

Key facts for annul
PropertyValue
Headwordannul
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈnʌl/
Letters5
Frequency rank#53,371
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “annul” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). annul lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for annul is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈnʌl/. Corpus data places it at rank #53,371 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for annul in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English annullen, from Old French anuller, from Latin annullō (“annihilate, annul”), from ad (“to”) + nūllus (“none, not any”). The correct English form is annul, spelled A-N-N-U-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To formally revoke the validity of.
  2. 2
    To dissolve (a marital union) on the grounds that it is not valid.

Etymology

From Middle English annullen, from Old French anuller, from Latin annullō (“annihilate, annul”), from ad (“to”) + nūllus (“none, not any”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "annul"?
"annul" is spelled A-N-N-U-L. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈnʌl/.
What does "annul" mean?
As a verb, "annul" means: To formally revoke the validity of.
How do you pronounce "annul"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "annul" is /əˈnʌl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "annul"?
From Middle English annullen, from Old French anuller, from Latin annullō (“annihilate, annul”), from ad (“to”) + nūllus (“none, not any”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “annul”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-N-N-U-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈnʌl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list