CALL OFF Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

call off

verb

Definition of call off

as in to distract

to draw the attention or mind to something else she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to cancel

to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of call off The companies ultimately called off the deal in 2023 due to regulatory hurdles. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 Chelsea and Everton were left stunned after Monaco called off the sale of Lamine Camara to the former English club, only for his team-mate and USMNT striker Folarin Balogun to pull out of a move to the latter. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026 That wasn’t initially the case when this game was scheduled, but plans to play it as a nonconference neutral game in Brazil were called off, and the ACC’s decision to expand to a nine-game league slate means this one now counts. — Eddie Timanus, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 However, Bonta called off the meeting at the last minute accusing the studio of leaking information about their settlement discussions. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for call off

Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off

Verb

While the behavior was distracting, Osaka hopes that bringing tennis to a new audience overall will benefit the sport, as long as new fans learn the rules and etiquette of spectating.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
While the President tries to distract Americans from his disastrous war in Iran, gas prices keep soaring.

— Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of distract

Verb

Barca saved money on Joao Cancelo after he and Al Hilal cancelled his contract, but he’ll hardly be paid buttons.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Holiday events, parades and fireworks celebrations were canceled across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic because of the extreme heat, USA TODAY previously reported.

— Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of cancel

Verb

The flight was forced to divert to Baltimore, where the man was removed from the plane and arrested on state charges, according to CBS.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
Playwright Zimmerman, meanwhile, says the dispute has diverted attention from the subject the production was created to address.

— Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of divert

Verb

To reach the quarterfinals in New York, Zheng had to accept her newfound station in tennis — not to abandon her confidence for the sake of humility, but to combine her natural self-belief with acceptance of her reality and a new perspective.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Masson credited the town’s surveillance cameras with capturing the fleeing pair abandoning at least one of the paintings and the city’s police force with a quick response.

— News Desk, Artforum, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of abandon

Verb

Up to this point, Ghostface victims have been stabbed with Buck 120 hunting knives, crushed by garage doors, shot, electrocuted, and thrown off rooftops in ferocious, balls-to-the-wall Scream fashion.

— Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2026
Trey Yesavage will throw off a mound for the first time since knee surgery Friday.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of throw off

Verb

But for my money, few players bring a more impactful set of skills to a club scrapping to stay in the Premier League.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
But Cargill, Michin and B-Fab have continuously been scrapping with Flair, Bliss and Paxley with Cargill and Flair seemingly fighting for the top contender spot to Chelsea Green’s women’s title.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrap

Verb

The Clippers, meanwhile, were hit with a $30 million fine, had five first-round draft picks revoked, saw Ballmer suspended for a year, and (in addition to Frank) longtime business president Gillian Zucker suspended for a year without pay.

— Law Murray, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Under state law, educators who abandon their contracts after a deadline of 45 calendar days before the start of school could be subject to penalties, including potentially having their teaching certification revoked for one year.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of revoke

Verb

The production of some vaccines involves growing viruses in human cell cultures from two fetuses aborted in the 1960s, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

— Finch Walker, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Teenage e-bikers on an Oakland County airport runway last week forced a pilot to abort his landing, taking the potential perils of e-bike misuse to a whole new level.

— Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026