overturn
n.a decision by a court or authority to cancel a previous rule or judgment. It means the old decision is no longer valid and has been replaced.
n.the invalidation or reversal of a previous legal decision, ruling, or precedent by a higher authority. Often used in the context of appellate courts or legislative bodies.
“The court announced the overturn of the previous ruling.”
“Legal experts were surprised by the sudden overturn of the environmental law by the supreme court.”
“The unexpected overturn of the lower court's decision sent shockwaves through the legal community, effectively reversing decades of established judicial precedent regarding property rights.”
Commonly used in legal and political contexts; often followed by the preposition 'of'.
“A man who killed his wife and refuses to reveal where her body is cannot be freed from prison, after the High Court overturned the Parole Board's decision to release him.”
“In June, South Africa’s supreme court of appeal ruled in favour of Lungu’s family, overturning a previous high court decision in favour of the government.”
Common in science and sport writing
From Middle English overturnen, equivalent to over- + turn. Compare also Middle English overterven (“to overturn”), see terve.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.