cancel out

phrasal verb

canceled out or cancelled out; canceling out or cancelling out; cancels out

: to reduce the effect of (something) : to be equal to (something) in force or importance but have an opposite effect

The costs cancel out the benefits.

Examples of cancel out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another recent study determined that 91% of last year’s heat burst was because of climate change and 8% because of El Niño, but said the reduction in sulfur emissions was effectively canceled out by emissions from raging wildfires. —Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2024

But rather than being an enticing factor for shoppers, these loyalty programs are instead being canceled out by competitors that have essentially introduced the same programs. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 4 June 2024

Fred Gutmann Cupertino Runaway spending cancels out tax cuts Tax cuts are a significant fiscal policy tool that can influence economic performance. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 31 May 2024

Theoretically, this enables emissions to be canceled out, but in reality carbon offsets are plagued by corruption and ineffectiveness. —Andrew Follett, National Review, 17 May 2024

These offsets are an effort to cancel out one’s own carbon dioxide pollution. —Alexa St. John, Fortune, 9 May 2024

Does that environmental damage cancel out the green benefits of giving up gasoline? —Camila Domonoske, NPR, 9 May 2024

The hue helps cancel out any redness associated with irritated or acne-prone skin. —Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, 3 May 2024

Apple used offsets to try to cancel out around 500,000 metric tons of its carbon dioxide emissions in 2023. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 18 Apr. 2024