cancel

verb

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can·cel | \ ˈkan(t)-səl

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

Definition of cancel

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to decide not to conduct or perform (something planned or expected) usually without expectation of conducting or performing it 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 outhis 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

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

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

4a : 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

cancel

noun

Definition of cancel (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : cancellation an order quickly followed by a cancel

2a : 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

Other Words from cancel Synonyms & Antonyms Cancel My Subscription More Example Sentences Learn More about cancel

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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).

Examples of cancel in a Sentence

Verb 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 on the Web: Verb May 29 It’s widely regarded as among the most vital infrastructure projects in the U.S., but it’s been canceled once and now is stuck in limbo. — Washington Post, "Why a Rail Tunnel Under the Hudson River Is Stuck in Washington," 18 Sep. 2019 School and parks officials in Groton, Ledyard, Stonington and North Stonington were rescheduling or cancelling events to make sure that kids, parents and others were not outdoors after 6:30 p.m. — Gregory B. Hladky, courant.com, "Connecticut’s first human case of EEE this mosquito season is confirmed," 16 Sep. 2019 In Sunday’s episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney considered canceling her birthday party after getting into a nasty fight with sister Kim Kardashian while deciding what to wear to the big bash. — Jodi Guglielmi, PEOPLE.com, "KUWTK: Kourtney Kardashian Considers Canceling 40th Birthday Party After Fight with Kim," 15 Sep. 2019 When the electron is inside the proton, the proton’s charge pulls the electron in opposing directions, partly canceling itself out. — Wired, "Physicists Finally Nail the Proton’s Size, and Hope Dies," 15 Sep. 2019 There were at least 238 flights delayed and at least 97 canceled the previous Saturday. — J.d. Morris, SFChronicle.com, "SFO construction: How airport performed and what you need to know now," 15 Sep. 2019 Citing deep fiscal problems, the BSO’s leadership canceled the musicians’ summer concert series in May and attempted to shorten to the group’s season from 52 weeks to 40 weeks, cutting pay in the process. — baltimoresun.com, "Even record attendance wouldn’t turn around the BSO. Other cities’ orchestras show what could.," 13 Sep. 2019 Social media erupted after a Twitter user wrote about losing Rs237 ($3.43) for cancelling an order after he was assigned a Muslim delivery-person and customer care executives refused to reassign the order to a Hindu delivery worker. — Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz India, "Back-to-back controversies leave Zomato’s brand image with a bad aftertaste," 12 Sep. 2019 So, er, in fact the conservative censors succeeded in canceling the rare Trump-era movie that was probably . . . — Ross Douthat, National Review, "Horror-Comedy Ready or Not Plays on Primal Human Fears," 12 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun But conservatism’s version of cancel culture may be distinct from the Left’s version in one important way. — Ross Douthat, National Review, "Horror-Comedy Ready or Not Plays on Primal Human Fears," 12 Sep. 2019 The Department of Public Health has recommended that communities identified as critical cancel or reschedule outdoor activities that occur from dusk to dawn. — Hanna Krueger, BostonGlobe.com, "No Friday night lights: High school games moved for communities at critical risk for EEE," 5 Sep. 2019 In today’s mainstream comedy of liberal partisanship and fear of cancel culture, only the gutless are trustworthy. — Peter Spiliakos, National Review, "The Simpsons and the Cowardice of Tribal Comedy," 28 Aug. 2019 But the chilling effect of cancel culture is arguably worse than that of more official forms of censorship. — Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, "Pavlik Morozov Is the Patron Saint of Cancel Culture," 2 July 2019 One finds now, in the back and forth of this saga, foreshadowings of the cancel-culture wars of today. — Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, "Inside the Cultish Dreamworld of Augusta National," 14 June 2019 One of the most affecting sections in Jones’s biography examines Geisel’s moral evolution, demonstrating how an artist could answer to his conscience independently, if imperfectly, decades before the advent of cancel culture. — I-huei Go, The New Yorker, "How Dr. Seuss Changed Education in America," 5 June 2019 Most luxury properties also have flexible cancel policy, meaning that rooms can be cancelled within 24-48 hours. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "What Travelers Need to Know about Zika in Florida," 24 Aug. 2016 For all of the tumult during Fox's cancel-happy prelude to its Monday upfront, the resulting fall schedule doesn't look that dramatically different from the one that preceded it. — Michael O'connell, The Hollywood Reporter, "Fox Fall Schedule Adds More NFL, Puts New Comedies on Friday," 14 May 2018

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.

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More Definitions for cancel

cancel

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cancel

: 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

See the full definition for cancel in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cancel

verb

can·cel | \ ˈkan-səl

canceled or cancelled; canceling or cancelling

Kids Definition of cancel

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

cancel

transitive verb

can·cel

canceled or cancelled; canceling or cancelling

Legal Definition of cancel

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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