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
But all of those positive bullet points have been canceled out by an 8-K filed near the end of May.
—
Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
The goal canceled out Miami’s opening goal after just 35 seconds of play.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Following this logic, STAAR developers use practices like omitting easier questions and adjusting scores to cancel out gains due to better teaching.
—Jeanne Sinclair, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
There is no promise of significant economic growth to compensate, since the bill’s purpose is largely to keep current tax policy, not cut further, and the administration’s tariff policies are expected to cancel out the modest growth effects of the tax bill.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cancel out
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Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
The goal canceled out Miami’s opening goal after just 35 seconds of play.
—Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Following this logic, STAAR developers use practices like omitting easier questions and adjusting scores to cancel out gains due to better teaching.
—Jeanne Sinclair, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
There is no promise of significant economic growth to compensate, since the bill’s purpose is largely to keep current tax policy, not cut further, and the administration’s tariff policies are expected to cancel out the modest growth effects of the tax bill.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cancel out
Cite this Entry
“Cancel out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cancel%20out. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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