MEANING
To cancel or reverse an earlier order by issuing a contrary one.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- countermand an instruction
- countermand an order
On the page
The commander countermanded the order before the gate was opened.
No one knew whether the message had arrived in time to countermand the departure.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- countermand
- Past tense
- countermanded
- Past participle
- countermanded
- Present participle
- countermanding
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- countermand
- Present continuous
- am/is/are countermanding
- Present perfect
- have/has countermanded
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been countermanding
- Past
- countermanded
- Past continuous
- was/were countermanding
- Past perfect
- had countermanded
- Past perfect continuous
- had been countermanding
- Future
- will countermand
- Future continuous
- will be countermanding
- Future perfect
- will have countermanded
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been countermanding
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: countermand; countermands; countermanded; countermanded; countermanding Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: countermands.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.