Revocation is the act of cancelling or withdrawing something, such as a law, permit, or agreement. It denotes a formal withdrawal of a grant, right, or order, typically through an official process or decree. The term conveys finality and official negation, often with legal or administrative implications.
"The government announced the revocation of the license due to safety violations."
"Her previously granted rights were subject to revocation after the court ruling."
"A revocation of parole was issued following new evidence of misconduct."
"The contract included a clause permitting revocation for noncompliance with terms."
Revocation comes from the Latin revocatio, from revocare, meaning to call back or withdraw. Revocatio itself is composed of re- (back) + vocare (to call). The term entered English in the late Middle Ages, influenced by legal and ecclesiastical language, where the idea of overturning or retracting a grant or decree was common. In early legal Latin, revocare described the process by which a grant or function could be annulled by proper authority. By the 16th–18th centuries, revocation appeared in English legal prose to describe the formal withdrawal of privileges, licenses, or testaments. The word evolved to encompass modern administrative actions, including revoking licenses, contracts, or orders, and it retains a formal, procedural tone. Over time, revocation has broadened beyond strictly legal contexts to describe any official withdrawal or cancellation, while preserving its sense of finality and authority. First known use in English is documented in legal texts of the 15th–16th centuries, though with roots stretching further back into Latin ecclesiastical and imperial usage."
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Words that rhyme with "Revocation"
-ion sounds
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Pronounce as /ˌrɛvəˈkeɪʃən/ in US and UK contexts, with primary stress on the second syllable before the final -tion: re-voc-A-tion. Start with /r/ followed by a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, then /keɪ/ for the third, and end with /ʃən/. Mouth: lips relaxed, tongue tip near the alveolar ridge for /r/, mid tongue for /ə/, and a sharp diphthong /eɪ/ before the /ʃən/ ending. Audio reference: you can listen to pronunciation at Pronounce or Forvo entries using the word “revocation.”
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting it on the first syllable: /ˈrɛvəkˌeɪʃən/), and mispronouncing the /keɪ/ as /keɪən/ or slurring the /ʃən/ into /ən/. Another frequent issue is mixing the /ə/ with a full vowel in the second syllable, making /ˈrɛvəˈkeɪʃən/ sound rushed. Correction: emphasize the second syllable as /və/ and ensure the /keɪ/ stays as a crisp diphthong /keɪ/, then finish with /ʃən/. Practice with slow repetition and tongue-tip closure for /r/ and /ʃ/.
US: /ˌrɛvəˈkeɪʃən/ with rhotic /r/ and clear /ə/ vowels; UK: /ˌrɪˈvəʊk(eɪ)ʃən/ or /ˌrɛvəˈkeɪʃən/ depending on speaker, with non-rhotic tendencies and a longer /əʊ/ or /ɒ/ in some regional variants; AU: /ˌɹɪˈvəʊːkeɪʃn/ with a broad /ɹ/ and a rounded /əʊ/ diphthong in /rəʊ/ segments, rhoticity generally present in broad variants. Key differences lie in rhoticity and vowel quality of the second and third syllables; the /keɪ/ diphthong remains close to /eɪ/ across dialects, but the preceding vowel may shift slightly (US /ə/ vs UK /ə/ or /ɪ/).
It challenges many learners due to the stress pattern and multi-syllabic structure: secondary stress on the first or second syllable depending on emphasis, and a tall sequence /vəˈkeɪʃən/ that can lead to vowel reductions or conflation of /ə/ with other vowels. The /k/ followed by the /eɪ/ diphthong requires precise tongue positioning to avoid a slur into /kaɪ/ or /keɘ/. Practice by isolating each segment, then linking smoothly. IPA cues: /ˌrɛvəˈkeɪʃən/.
The sequence -vac- in revocation carries the sense of “call back” or withdrawal, making the /vɒ/ or /və/ realization critical; ensure you signal the syllable transition clearly between /və/ and /keɪ/. The final -tion is pronounced /ʃən/ rather than /tɪən/ in many speakers’ casual speech; keeping the /ʃ/ distinct helps prevent a mispronounced ending like /tən/. IPA: /ˌrɛvəˈkeɪʃən/.
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