Revocation is the formal act by a legal authority (such as a court or a contract) to cancel or terminate a previously valid agreement, grant, title, or right, thereby ending its effect.
Imagine you have a permission slip for something, and 'revocation' means officially taking that permission slip away. It’s the legal action where someone decides to cancel the original permission or agreement that was granted.
It matters because it is the mechanism through which legal rights, options, or contracts are officially terminated, ensuring that the original terms of an agreement cease to be valid and enforceable.
Visual model
Revocation of a lease agreement when a tenant defaults on the terms.
The court's order revoking a previously granted property title.
Document context
The formal act by a competent authority (like a court or contract) to legally cancel or terminate a previously valid grant, title, right, or agreement, thereby ending its effect.
It matters because it is the mechanism through which legal rights, options, or contracts are officially terminated, ensuring that the original terms of an agreement cease to be valid and enforceable.
Revocation usually appears when a contract is breached, a title is challenged, or a grant of authority is formally withdrawn by a court or party.
It is typically seen in legal documents such as court judgments, contract termination clauses, wills, and statutes where rights are explicitly revoked.
The parties involved, including the grantor, the original holder, and the authority that performs the revocation, are affected by this action.
In practice, it involves a formal declaration or judicial decision that invalidates a prior agreement or title, often requiring specific procedural steps to be legally effective.
Related terms
Share
Copy the link, open native sharing, or scan the QR code from another device.
Scan to open this glossary page on another device.
Wikipedia
Open Wikipedia for broader background on revocation.
Open on WikipediaKnowledge graph
This layer links the term to nearby glossary entries, document use cases, and contract-risk guides so readers can move from definition to context without dead ends.
Move from term to document
Disclaimer: We do not provide legal advice. We translate legal language into plain English and help you prepare for a conversation with a lawyer.