Definition

1. Verb:
   • To decide that something will not happen or will no longer be valid: To officially stop a planned event, agreement, or service.
   • To mark or perforate something to show it is used or invalid: To put a mark on a document, especially a ticket or stamp, to prevent its reuse.
   • To remove or cross out written or printed material: To draw a line through text to indicate it should be disregarded.
   • To neutralize or offset the effect of something else: To act as a counterbalance, making something else have no net effect.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The airline had to cancel the flight due to bad weather.
  • Please cancel my subscription to the magazine.
  • The bank will cancel the old checkbook when you request a new one.
  • The positive and negative charges cancel each other out.

Advanced Usage

• "to cancel out": To have an equal and opposite effect, resulting in no change or a neutral state.
  • The two arguments cancel each other out, leaving us no closer to a decision.
• "cancel culture": (Modern social context) The practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures or companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive.
  • The debate about cancel culture often centers on free speech and accountability.

Variants and Related Words

• Cancellation (noun): The act of canceling something; an instance of this.
  • The concert's cancellation disappointed many fans.
• Canceled/Cancelled (adjective, past participle): The spelling "canceled" is more common in American English, while "cancelled" is more common in British English.
  • We received a notification about the canceled meeting.
• Cancelable/Cancellable (adjective): Capable of being canceled.
  • This is a cancellable booking with a full refund.

Synonyms

• Call off: To decide that a planned event will not take place.
• Revoke: To officially cancel the validity of a license, decision, or agreement.
• Annul: To declare something legally invalid or void.
• Delete: To remove or erase written or stored information.
• Offset: To counterbalance or compensate for.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Cancel out: To neutralize the effect of something.
  • The savings from the coupon were canceled out by the high shipping fee.

Related Idioms

• Cancel someone's Christmas: (Slang, aggressive) A threat to kill or seriously harm someone.
  • He was so angry he threatened to cancel the informant's Christmas.
• A canceled check: A check that has been paid by the bank and marked, serving as proof of payment.
  • Keep the canceled check as a receipt for your tax records.

Noun

1. a notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat

Verb

1. make invalid for use
   • cancel cheques or tickets
2. remove or make invisible
   • Please delete my name from your list
3. declare null and void; make ineffective
   • Cancel the election results
   • strike down a law
4. make up for
   • His skills offset his opponent's superior strength
5. postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled
   • Call off the engagement
   • cancel the dinner party
   • we had to scrub our vacation plans
   • scratch that meeting--the chair is ill