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 a defeat at home to the lowly Eagles (9-18, 2-12) would have canceled out much of Tuesday’s gain in status. —Randy Jennings, Dallas Morning News, 21 Feb. 2026

Isi Palazon's goal in the 42nd cancelled out Cedric Bakambu's opener for Betis. —ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026

Although a few smaller red states have moved to give the GOP an edge, Virginia would effectively cancel out those gains by supersizing the current 6-5 Democratic edge. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 13 Feb. 2026

The Mission League boys basketball tournament championship game between Sierra Canyon and Notre Dame was canceled out of respect for a Sierra Canyon student who died early Wednesday morning from a car accident. —Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for cancel out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout