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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of call off
However, along the journey, several couples decided to call off their engagement.
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
The next day — after a night out with Maidenberg and their fellow cast members — Ferrucci called off an engagement for the second time in his life.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
The clash of views and the depth of the politics involved was further underlined by Ayoub Khan, a member of parliament for the Birmingham Perry Barr constituency, signing a petition calling for the game to be called off, staged in a neutral country or held without an away crowd.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The president also reportedly called off efforts to reach a diplomatic solution with Venezuela.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
The next day — after a night out with Maidenberg and their fellow cast members — Ferrucci called off an engagement for the second time in his life.
—Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
The clash of views and the depth of the politics involved was further underlined by Ayoub Khan, a member of parliament for the Birmingham Perry Barr constituency, signing a petition calling for the game to be called off, staged in a neutral country or held without an away crowd.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The president also reportedly called off efforts to reach a diplomatic solution with Venezuela.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off
Verb
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Consider having some extra treats on hand to distract your dog and encourage them to be brave puppies.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
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Once written, the script’s fantastic promise distracted its readers from the fatal holes in its plot.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Barca and Madrid reactions to the Miami game being cancelled was certainly divergent, and there will be lingering tension in the Bernabeu’s VIP areas on Sunday.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The principal didn’t immediately realize the alert had been canceled, a spokesperson for Baltimore County Public Schools told WBAL.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The $155,000 figure was within a range covered by insurance, and FBI investigators found that no individual donor funds were diverted before they were deposited into the Bright Futures Fund, Johnston wrote.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
6 Nov. 2025
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Videos taken by witnesses show cars diverting and driving away from the scene after capturing the fireball that lights up moments after the crash.—
Julia Gomez,
USA TODAY,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Fox Weather had reported that United Airlines would abandon its request for passengers to open window shades upon landing after quietly beginning to encourage it in 2020.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Weekly Newsletter Hamida’s first such meeting is with a twelve-year-old Hindu girl named Kammo, whose father abandoned her after the death of her mother.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But China has not made such statements, and there’s still a risk that the two strongmen can’t see eye to eye or a rogue comment throws off the delicate detente.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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When the deputy was struck, he was thrown off the overpass and landed below on Harry Hines Boulevard.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shifts in the sequel’s production timeline meant that some plots and characters had to be scrapped, so they could instead be potentially explored in the third film.—
Yasmeen Hamadeh,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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Pfizer notoriously faced a string of setbacks with its own weight loss candidates, scrapping two separate pills over the last two years due to safety issues.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Bertha Coombs,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The administration has also detained and revoked the visas of several activists supportive of Palestinian causes.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Upon taking office later that month, former President Joe Biden moved to narrow the scope of the lease in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, placing a temporary moratorium on oil and gas activity in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and revoked the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Washington — The first officer of a United Express flight that ran off the end of a wet runway in Roanoke, Virginia last month tried to get the captain to abort the landing twice, investigators say.—
Pete Muntean,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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As the youngest of four with an alcoholic father, his family struggled so much financially that his mother wanted to abort him.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Call off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20off. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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