cancel

verb can·cel \ ˈkan(t)-səl \

Updated on: 13 Jan 2018

Definition of cancel

canceled or cancelled; canceling or cancelling play \-s(ə-)liŋ\

transitive verb

1 a : to call off usually without expectation of conducting or performing at a later time

cancel a football game

b : to destroy the force, effectiveness, or validity of : annul

cancel a magazine subscription

a canceled check

c : to match in force or effect : offset —often used with out

his irritability canceled out his natural kindness
—Osbert Sitwell

d : to bring to nothingness : destroy

2 : to deface (a postage or revenue stamp) especially with a set of ink lines so as to invalidate for reuse

3 a : to remove (a common divisor) from numerator and denominator

b : to remove (equivalents) on opposite sides of an equation or account

4 a : to mark or strike out for deletion

cancel the offensive passage

b : omit, delete

intransitive verb

: to neutralize each other's strength or effect : counterbalance

the various pressure groups to a large degree canceled out
—J. B. Conant

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cancelable

or cancellable play \-s(ə-)lə-bəl\ adjective

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canceler

or canceller play \-s(ə-)lər\ noun

See cancel defined for English-language learners

See cancel defined for kids

Examples of cancel in a Sentence

The event was canceled at the last minute when the speaker didn't show up.
We canceled our dinner reservation.
My flight was canceled because of the storm.
She canceled her appointment with the dentist.
I'm sorry, but I have to cancel. Can we meet next week?
He canceled his insurance policy last month.
We canceled our magazine subscription when we moved.
The bank canceled my credit card.
If you subscribe online, you can cancel at any time.

Recent Examples of cancel from the Web

But multiple schools have canceled their school days this week not because of the snow but because of the cold, worrying about the effects of biting temperatures on children walking to school or waiting for buses.

— john benson, cleveland.com, "Lakewood City Council makes good with schools regarding tax financing agreement," 4 Jan. 2018
Like much else, this episode has been polarizing and subject to vicious debate, provoked by Donald Trump’s decision this year to cancel the annual Iftar dinner at the White House.

— omer aziz, New Republic, "My President Was an Islamophobe," 22 Dec. 2017
News of the show's cancellation has fans criticizing ABC's decision to cancel the show instead of just firing Iuzzini.

— sydney scott, Essence.com, "The Quick Read: Issa Rae Adds Two New Shows To Her HBO Portfolio," 19 Dec. 2017
Passengers scheduled to travel through Atlanta on Monday are expected to check their flight status as 300 flights have already been cancelled due to the outage.

— leada gore, AL.com, "Atlanta Airport power outage: Electricity restored, fire blamed, Monday flights impacted," 17 Dec. 2017
Old Sacramento officials have canceled the Saturday 7:30 p.m. showing of the Macy’s Theatre of Lights, saying wind gusts have made the event unsafe for viewers and staff.

— sacbee, "High winds force Old Sacramento light show cancellation," 16 Dec. 2017
Some people boarded planes and waited for hours on the tarmac, only to have their flights canceled.

— matthew haag, New York Times, "Passengers Face Hourslong Delays as Snowstorm Snarls Heathrow Airport," 10 Dec. 2017
Several North Carolina counties have canceled school for students Friday due to the weather.

— charlotteobserver, "Avery, Watauga, Alleghany, Caldwell districts closed or closing early for snow," 8 Dec. 2017
The team hears from angry fans, but few or none have cancelled season tickets.

— sam mellinger, kansascity, "Marcus Peters and Kansas City's awkward relationship | The Kansas City Star," 8 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cancel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

cancel my Subscription!

When we cancel an appointment we are making the decision to not keep that engagement, and when we cancel a check we are rendering that monetary slip of paper null and void. The early meanings of cancel had much more to do with the action taken for the check than that for the appointment. The word comes from a Latin noun, cancelli, meaning “lattice,” and originally referred to the crosshatched lines drawn across a written passage to signify that it should be deleted. By metaphorical extension, cancel in the sense “to remove or nullify” came to be applied to contracts, obligations and vows, mathematical quantities, checks, and all manner of other things (perhaps most familiarly nowadays, purchase orders and services).

Origin and Etymology of cancel

Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-French canceller, chanceller, from Late Latin cancellare, from Latin, to make like a lattice, from cancelli (plural), diminutive of cancer lattice, probably alteration of carcer prison

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

cancel Synonyms

Synonyms

abandon, abort, call, call off, cry off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke, scrap, scrub

Antonyms

continue, keep

Related Words

abrogate, annul, invalidate, nullify, void, write off; recant, retract, take back, withdraw; countermand, reverse, roll back; break off, discontinue, end, halt, stop, terminate; hold back, interrupt, suspend; give up, relinquish, surrender

Near Antonyms

engage, pledge, promise; begin, commence, initiate, start; take on, take up, undertake

cancel

noun

Definition of cancel

1 : cancellation

an order quickly followed by a cancel

2 a : a deleted part or passage

b (1) : a leaf containing matter to be deleted

(2) : a new leaf or slip substituted for matter already printed

Recent Examples of cancel from the Web

The hike is rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Manchester Edition," 26 Dec. 2017
In fact, 40 percent of the LNG vessels that reserve a slot cancel, often close to their transit date which prevents other vessels from using the slot and results in lost capacity for the Canal and other customers.

— Bloomberg.com, "Panama Canal Authority Responds to Bloomberg Article: Jorge L. Quijano," 21 Dec. 2017
To cancel, Customer must log-in to account portal and click cancel to place the request.

— ian livingston, Washington Post, "PM Update: Cool again tonight, followed by a beautiful Tuesday," 2 Oct. 2017
The walk will be held rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Manchester Edition," 18 Sep. 2017
JetBlue: Customers flying through Austin, Houston, and New Orleans, Louisiana, will have change/cancel fees and fare differences waived for travel between Aug. 25 and 26.

— ryan craggs, CNT, "How Hurricane Harvey Will Affect Your Travel Plans," 25 Aug. 2017
The event is free, and will be held rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Vernon Edition," 29 Aug. 2017
If a customer books an award flight and cancels after the flight's departure, the airline will now charge $125 to have the miles redeposited in the customer's account.

— ryan craggs, CNT, "United's Frequent Flier Program Just Got More Complicated," 30 June 2017
The team added an air cancel, which costs some super meter but can help players escape juggles.

— gieson cacho, The Mercury News, "Preview: ‘Injustice 2’ details RPG elements in fighting game," 2 Mar. 2017

Origin and Etymology of cancel

see ¹cancel

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1806

See Words from the same year

CANCEL Defined for English Language Learners

cancel

verb

Definition of cancel for English Language Learners

: to stop doing or planning to do (something) : to decide that something (such as a game, performance, etc.) will not happen
: to cause (something) to end or no longer produce a certain effect : to stop (something) from being effective or valid
: to put a mark with a set of ink lines on something (such as a stamp) so that it cannot be used again

CANCEL Defined for Kids

cancel

verb can·cel \ ˈkan-səl \

Definition of cancel for Students

canceled or cancelled; canceling or cancelling

1 : to take back : stop from being in effect

She canceled the order.

2 : to cause to not happen

I hoped for anything that could cancel the dance.
—Ann M. Martin, Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation

3 : to be equal in force or importance but have opposite effect

The disadvantages of the plan canceled out the advantages.

4 : to remove (a common divisor) from numerator and denominator : remove (equivalents) on opposite sides of an equation

5 : to cross out or strike out with a line

He canceled what he had written.

6 : to mark (as a postage stamp) so as to make impossible to use again

Law Dictionary

cancel

transitive verb can·cel

legal Definition of cancel

canceled or cancelled; canceling or cancelling

1 : to destroy the force, validity, or effectiveness of: as

a : to render (one's will or a provision in one's will) ineffective by purposely making marks through or otherwise marring the text of — compare revoke

Note: The text of the will or of the will's provision need not be rendered illegible in order for a court to find that there was an intent to cancel it.

b : to make (a negotiable instrument) unenforceable especially by purposely marking through or otherwise marring the words or signature of

Note: As stated in section 3-604 of the Uniform Commercial Code, a party that is entitled to enforce a negotiable instrument may cancel the instrument, whether or not for consideration, and discharge the obligation of the other party to pay.

c : to mark (a check) to indicate that payment has been made by the bank

Note: A check is no longer negotiable once it has been cancelled.

d : to withdraw an agreement to honor (a letter of credit)

when an issuer wrongfully cancels or otherwise repudiates a credit before presentment of a draft
—Uniform Commercial Code

2 : to put an end to (a contract): as

a : to end (a contract) by discharging the other party from obligations as yet unperformed

b : to end (a contract) in accordance with the provisions of U.C.C. section 2-106 or a similar statute because the other party has breached — compare rescind, terminate

Note: Section 2-106 provides that a party that cancels a contract because of the other party's breach is entitled to seek remedies for breach of all or part of the contract.

c : to put an end to (a lease contract) because of the default of the other party

Note: Under U.C.C. section 2A-505, a party that cancels because of the other party's default may seek remedies for the default of all or any unperformed part of the lease contract.

3 : to terminate (an insurance policy) before the end of the policy period usually as allowed by policy provisions

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