Okuzeka
Contract & Commercial Law vocabulary · Forming & Drafting Contracts

Void

Meaning in contract & commercial law, with examples

/vɔɪd/adjectiveCommon term

In contract & commercial law, void means: Having no legal effect at all from the start, so that the contract or clause is treated as if it never existed.

In Turkish: batıl, kesin hükümsüz, geçersiz

How it is used

A contract can be void because, for example, its purpose is illegal. 'Voidable' is different: the contract is valid until the injured party chooses to set it aside, for example after a misrepresentation. 'Null and void' is a common emphatic phrase.

Example sentences

  1. A contract to sell stolen goods is void.

  2. Any assignment made without our consent shall be null and void.

Common collocations

  • null and void
  • void contract
  • void and unenforceable
  • render void
  • enforceableAble to be made effective through a court or tribunal, so that a party can be forced to comply or to pay compensation.
  • bindingHaving legal force, so that the parties must do what they have agreed and can be held responsible if they do not.
  • misrepresentationA false statement of fact made by one party that persuades the other party to enter into a contract.
  • severabilityThe principle, usually set out in a clause, that if one provision of a contract is invalid, the rest of the contract remains in force.

More terms: Forming & Drafting Contracts

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.