call off

verb

called off; calling off; calls off

transitive verb

1

: to draw away : divert

2

: cancel

Synonyms of call off

• distract
• divert
• throw off

Examples of call off in a Sentence

she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest

called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it

Recent Examples on the Web

The search for missing 18-year-old Nolan Wells has been called off after a body was found on Horn Island, Mississippi. — Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 7 July 2026

Her work on the show has remained consistent even as unspecified health issues have forced her to slow down some and call off a bunch of live dates. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026

The officers pursued the vehicle, a Volkswagen Jetta, for roughly a minute before calling off the chase because of the suspect’s speed and erratic driving, police said. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 7 July 2026

The search for a Mississippi teen who went missing over the holiday weekend has been called off after a body matching his description was recovered Monday morning, officials said. — Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for call off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

call off

verb

1

: to draw away : divert

call off a dog

2

: cancel sense 2a

call off a meeting