call off

verb

called off; calling off; calls off

transitive verb

1

: to draw away : divert

2

: cancel

Synonyms

• abstract
• detract
• 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 pilot ejected safely, but the part of the meeting that followed the crash was called off, according to The Barents Observer. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025

Tray Moo was found near NP Dodge Park on Saturday, April 26, and after Green and Cress Moo’s bodies were recovered on Tuesday, April 29, the search was called off, Omaha’s KMTV reported. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 2 May 2025

Three years earlier, the Dutch police threatened to disrupt a stage held in Utrecht in a pay dispute, only calling off their plans three days before. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 May 2025

Brian Hopkins called off the vote on his ordinance in the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. —Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2025

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