1
as in to distract
to draw the attention or mind to something else
she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cancel
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of call off
Oil prices fell after Trump called off the Iran strikes, also a boon for metals, as gold and silver have generally traded inversely with oil throughout the Iran war.
—
Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Wrigley and Anderson planned a lavish destination wedding in Ireland and had already sent out invitations, but the wedding was called off because Anderson wouldn’t sign a prenup, a former staffer said.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill issued a statement expressing sympathy for the girl’s family when the search was first called off.
—Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
In May, Tennessee called off an execution after prison staff could not find a vein to administer lethal injection drugs.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for call off
Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Wrigley and Anderson planned a lavish destination wedding in Ireland and had already sent out invitations, but the wedding was called off because Anderson wouldn’t sign a prenup, a former staffer said.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill issued a statement expressing sympathy for the girl’s family when the search was first called off.
—Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
In May, Tennessee called off an execution after prison staff could not find a vein to administer lethal injection drugs.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for call off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off
Verb
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During the conversation, the individuals attempted to distract the woman by putting jewelry on her.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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These plants either repel slugs and snails or distract the pests from your garden crops.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Madison Square Garden canceled its official Game 4 watch party amid a public dispute with city officials over security restrictions.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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In a statement to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the event's producer Live Nation explained that the concert was canceled because Stewart had a recurrence of a sinus infection.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors described the case as the largest pandemic fraud scheme in the country, saying Bock diverted tens of millions in federal money intended to feed hungry children.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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The plane had taken off from Mexico's San Jose del Cabo on Tuesday evening and was bound for Austin before diverting to Laredo, according to tracking data.—
Jessica Gorman,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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One of Wood’s earliest conversations with Reid centered on abandoning the heeled footwear that helped define earlier versions of the character.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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Jessie is thrilled, but her enthusiasm is crushingly fleeting, as Emily abandons Jessie with other items in a donation box on the side of the road.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Lilypad’s creativity-zapping existence throws off Pixar’s ability to brainstorm a dynamic story.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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Indeed, Green throws off a kind of 1970s Wonder Woman vibe at times, especially given how she is costumed by Theresa Ham, and that adds to the fun.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
Verb
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So the new Dietary Guidelines released in January have scrapped the previous recommendations with quantitative limits on drinking in favor of just advising that people drink less.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
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Tamarac will scrap $75,000 travel budget (news article, May 13, 2022).—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Verb
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This incident underscores the precarious nature of relying on external AI tools, as access can be revoked without warning.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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Those requirements caused Anthropic to revoke access to the models for everyone.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
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According to Israeli and American reports, over the past week, the president forced Israel to abort imminent retaliatory strikes on Iran and demanded that the country restrict its response to Hezbollah fire from Lebanon that has pummeled the Israeli north.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
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Saturday’s sprint race turned messy when Hulkenberg’s car suffered a mechanical failure on the formation lap, forcing him to abort the session.—
Jerry Perez,
The Drive,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Call off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20off. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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