cancel

[ˈkænsəl]

cancel Definition

• 1. decide or announce that (a planned event) will not take place
• 2. revoke or destroy (a postal or philatelic item after it has been used)
• 3. neutralize or counteract (an unpleasant feeling or situation)

Using cancel: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "cancel" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  The concert was canceled due to bad weather.

• Example

  I need to cancel my appointment with the dentist.

• Example

  He canceled his subscription to the magazine.

• Example

  The company canceled the project due to budget constraints.

cancel Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for cancel

• abandon
• scrub
• revoke
• rescind
• call off

Antonyms for cancel

• confirm
• approve
• validate

Idioms Using cancel

• cancel someone's Christmas

  to kill someone

  Example

  If he finds out you stole his money, he'll cancel your Christmas.

• cancel a debt

  to forgive or write off a debt

  Example

  The bank agreed to cancel his debt after he explained his financial situation.

• cancel plans

  to decide not to do something that was previously arranged

  Example

  I had to cancel my plans to go to the beach because of the rain.

Phrases with cancel

• cancel culture

  the practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive

  Example

  The controversy sparked a debate about cancel culture and free speech.

• cancel out

  neutralize or counteract the effect of something

  Example

  The positive effects of exercise can cancel out the negative effects of smoking.

• cancel each other out

  have an equal and opposite effect, resulting in no overall change

  Example

  The two candidates' opposing views on taxes cancel each other out, leaving voters undecided.

Origins of cancel

from Old French 'canceler', from Latin 'cancellare', meaning 'to make resemble a lattice'

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Summary: cancel in Brief

To 'cancel' [ˈkænsəl] means to decide or announce that a planned event will not take place, revoke or destroy a postal or philatelic item after it has been used, or neutralize or counteract an unpleasant feeling or situation. Examples include 'The concert was canceled due to bad weather.' and 'He canceled his subscription to the magazine.' Phrases like 'cancel culture' and idioms like 'cancel someone's Christmas' extend the term's meaning.