/ɹɪˈvoʊkɪŋ/
Say it backRevoking refers to the act of canceling, repealing, or invalidating an official grant, license, or document. It typically denotes the withdrawal of permission or authority and is often used in legal, administrative, or policy contexts. The term combines the prefix re- with the verb revoke, indicating a formal withdrawal after initial granting.
"The agency issued a notice revoking the license after safety violations were confirmed."
"She faced penalties for revoking the permit, which prevented travel to the site."
"The contract included a clause allowing revoking rights under certain conditions."
Pronounce as /rɪˈvoʊkɪŋ/ (US) or /rɪˈvəʊkɪŋ/ (UK/AU). The primary stress falls on the second syllable: re-VO-king. Start with a short, lax /r/ and /ɪ/ sound, then glide into a strong /voʊ/ (like 'vow'), and finish with /kɪŋ/ where /ɪ/ is a relaxed short vowel and /ŋ/ is the velar nasal at the end. You’ll want a clear /oʊ/ diphthong in the second syllable and crisp closure for /k/. Audio reference: listen for the steady /voʊ/ nucleus and confirm the final nasal is not swallowed. IPA: US rɪˈvoʊkɪŋ; UK rɪˈvəʊkɪŋ; AU rɪˈvəʊkɪŋ.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (re-VO-king vs RE-vo-king), mispronouncing the second syllable as /və/ instead of /voʊ/ (treating it like 'revoking' with a short vowel), and vowel-consonant blending that produces /ˈriːvoʊkɪŋ/ or /rɪˈvɔːkɪŋ/. To correct: ensure the secondary syllable carries the diphthong /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK/AU) with a clear glide; keep /k/ hard and avoid tensing the jaw too early. Practice separating the syllables: re- / voʊ / king, then blend smoothly. IPA guidance: rɪˈvoʊkɪŋ (US) vs rɪˈvəʊkɪŋ (UK/AU).
In US English, the second syllable uses /oʊ/ (as in 'go'), with a slightly tense diphthong and a clear /v/ followed by /oʊ/. UK and Australian accents typically use /əʊ/ in the second syllable, with less rhotic influence and a marginally reduced /r/ coloring; in non-rhotic contexts you may hear a weaker or silent post-vocalic r. The final /ŋ/ remains consistent. Overall US stresses and rhotics may sound more pronounced, while UK/AU often exhibit smoother vowel transitions and reduced rhoticity in careful speech.
The difficulty lies in the combination of a stressed, long diphthong /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ and the following /k/ before the final /ɪŋ/. Some speakers split the /oʊ/ into a simpler /o/ or glide the /ɪŋ/ too early, causing a clipped ending. Additionally, maintaining the correct sequence re- vs /ri-/ and not over- or under-articulating the /v/ can be tricky in rapid speech. Focus on separating the syllables briefly: re- / voʊ / king, then smooth the transition into the /ŋ/.
There are no silent letters in revoking; the second syllable carries primary stress: re-VO-king. The challenge is not silence but the precise vowel quality and consonant boundaries between /voʊ/ and /kɪŋ/. Some speakers may reduce the /oʊ/ to a schwa in casual rapid speech, so you should practice maintaining the full diphthong for clarity, especially in formal contexts. Additionally, ensure the /ŋ/ is a clear nasal with the tongue raised toward the soft palate, not a nasalized vowel. IPA: rɪˈvoʊkɪŋ.
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Revoking comes from the prefix re- (meaning again, back) plus revoke. Re- derives from Latin re-; revoke derives from the Old French revoke (from Latin revocare, to call back, recall). The root revoke itself blends re- with vocare (to call), via Latin vocare “to call” and vecare?—the form revocare meaning to call back. In English, revoke appeared in the 15th century in legal and administrative contexts, meaning to annul or rescind a grant, license, or decree. Over time, revocation broadened to general withdrawal of permissions and rights, not solely legal instruments. The noun revocation and the verb revoke share the same origin, with the -ing form revoking representing ongoing action. The word’s usage intensified in bureaucratic and regulatory language during the modern period, aligning with codified rules and formal administrative processes. Its semantic field remains anchored in withdrawing authority, privileges, or documents, whether in law, policy, or contractual frameworks. First known uses point to documents or decrees whose validity was rescinded, and the concept evolved to describe contemporary processes of revocation in licensing, accreditation, and entitlements across institutions worldwide.
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Words that rhyme with "revoking"
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