adj
Uncommon
null
nuhl
Null (adj) means having no legal or binding force; invalid. Example: “The contract was declared null after the fraud came to light.”
adj
1
Having no legal or binding force; invalid.
"The contract was declared null after the fraud came to light."
"Without a signature, the agreement is null and has no legal weight."
"The court ruled the will null because it was never witnessed."
2
Amounting to nothing; nonexistent or without effect.
"His objections were null once the deadline had passed."
"Her chances of winning became null after she missed the final round."
"The effect of the medicine was null, so the doctor tried another."
noun
1
In computing, a value representing the absence of any data.
"The field returned null because the user never entered a phone number."
"If the form is left blank, the database stores a null."
"The program crashed when it tried to read a null instead of a number."
verb
1
To make void; to cancel out.
"The referee's decision nulled the goal."
"A single missing signature can null the whole agreement."
"The judge's ruling nulled the earlier decision."
How to use null
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving no value or effect — used both for legal matters ("null and void") and for missing data in computing.
Common mistake
In programming, "null" (no value) is not the same as zero or an empty string — mixing these up is a classic source of bugs.
Common pairings
null and void
null value
null hypothesis
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Word forms
- Plural
- nulls
- Third person singular
- nulls
- Past tense
- nulled
- Comparative
- more null
- Superlative
- most null
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The contract was declared _____ after the fraud came to light.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French nul, from Latin nullus, "none at all".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
antinull
non-null
Related words
Rhymes for null
See all rhymes for null →Frequently asked questions
What does “null” mean?
The word “null” means having no legal or binding force; invalid. In plain terms, having no value or effect — used both for legal matters ("null and void") and for missing data in computing.
How do you pronounce “null”?
“Null” is pronounced nuhl (/nʌl/ in IPA).
How do you use “null” in a sentence?
Here is “null” used in a sentence: “The contract was declared null after the fraud came to light.”
What is the opposite of “null”?
The opposite of “null” — its antonyms — are antinull and non-null.
What part of speech is “null”?
Depending on how it is used, “null” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “null” come from?
The word “null” comes from Latin. Borrowed from Middle French nul, from Latin nullus, "none at all".
Is “null” a common word?
“Null” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “null” have?
“Null” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having no legal or binding force; invalid.
What is the difference between null and void?
Null and void are often paired together to mean having no legal or binding force, but null on its own can also mean amounting to nothing or nonexistent in a broader sense, such as in computing. 'Void' more narrowly refers to something being legally invalid.
What does null mean in computing?
In computing, null represents a value that indicates the absence of any data, distinct from zero or an empty string, both of which are actual values. A null value signals that no data exists for that field or variable.
What is the difference between null and zero?
Null represents the absence of any data, while zero is an actual numeric value. In computing, a field can be zero and still contain data, but a null field contains no value at all.
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