Are “rescind” and “undo” synonyms? [closed]

Question

My teacher insists that rescind and undo are related but I need to prove her wrong because I looked it up and I don't feel that way.

Undo is the reverse of action that has been done. A synonym of rescind is cancel, but cancel is preventing something from happening, thus it never gets to where you can undo it.

So this is where I think that rescind and undo are not the same.

Answer 1

While rescinding something can be interpreted as undoing something, I think the key difference between the two words is whether or not the person/entity that is committing this action has the authority to do so.

For example, a government can rescind a law because it was the government that implemented the law in the first place. In other words, the government has the right to pass and abolish legislation. You or I cannot rescind laws since we lack the authority to do so.

In the above example the government effectively undoes one of its own laws. To continue on this train of thought, one can undo something without having the right or authority to do so. Let's say you're a fervent gardener and had spent the day on building a flower bed. I could simply come by at night and ruin it, i.e. undo your flower bed, even though I would have no right to do so.

So while your teacher does have a point saying that the two words are related, I would not go so far as to say they are synonyms.

Answer 2

This is arguable, but I think there are subtle differences.

Let's say you accidentally turn in an essay with a typographical error. You might try to rescind the essay in order to undo the mistake. In short, to rescind is to undo specifically by taking something back.

For all intents and purposes, though, they can be considered synonyms.

Answer 3

The are similar, and in some situations they can fit interchangeably, but I wouldn't call them synonyms. I'll highlight the key bits (from my point of view) from the M-W Definitions:

Undo

to make of no effect or as if not done : make null : reverse

Rescind

to take away : remove : take back, cancel : to make void (as an act) ...

One of the key differences to me is the first part of the 'undo' definition. When you undo something, you make it as if it never happened. There is no such implication to 'rescind' in most usages.

That is why you see uses like:

The government rescinded the new tax law. They canceled it, but probably didn't go back and undo all the taxes that were collected.

Press Control-Z to undo the typing. You are exactly reversing the action, making it as if you'd never done it.