1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of call off
Regulators in the European Union and the U.K. opposed the deal, which the two companies called off in late 2023.
—
Jordan Novet, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025
But when Percy gives the Bolt to Zeus and alerts him of Kronos' plans, he's shocked when Zeus doesn't immediately call off the war.
—EW.com, 22 July 2025
The acquisition, which was first announced in September 2022, was ultimately called off in late December 2023, after the British antitrust watchdog warned that the deal could reduce competition for design software.
—Iain Martin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Organizers called off the start of the Challenger Series portion of the competition on Wednesday, July 30, due to itty-bitty surf and a funky wind that was mucking up the conditions even more.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Jordan Novet, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025
But when Percy gives the Bolt to Zeus and alerts him of Kronos' plans, he's shocked when Zeus doesn't immediately call off the war.
—EW.com, 22 July 2025
The acquisition, which was first announced in September 2022, was ultimately called off in late December 2023, after the British antitrust watchdog warned that the deal could reduce competition for design software.
—Iain Martin, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Organizers called off the start of the Challenger Series portion of the competition on Wednesday, July 30, due to itty-bitty surf and a funky wind that was mucking up the conditions even more.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off
Verb
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Listen for the signs Notifications, newsfeeds and WhatsApp groups are distracting you from making a difference with your work.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Investigators believe Kernodle went up the stairs toward Mogen's room, which could've distracted Kohberger, Gilbertson said.—
Kayna Whitworth,
ABC News,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Start your free trial and get access to 5 all-new premium newsletters—cancel anytime.—
Andrea J. Arratibel,
Wired News,
12 Aug. 2025
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Realigning financial priorities was a key reason CBS gave for its decision to cancel The Late Show With Stephen Colbert; spending billions on UFC is one such move.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Global titans of self-dealing—such as Najib Razik, Malaysia’s former Prime Minister—divert vast sums from national coffers directly into their bank accounts.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
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Whether that's disaster relief, basic healthcare or supporting the pipeline to future healthcare professionals, S.O.S. has changed and saved over 14 million lives by providing millions of pounds of medical supplies diverted from landfills to people and animals around the world.—
Kirby Adams,
The Courier-Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Police found her car abandoned on the side of Bluegrass Parkway in Nelson County a few days later with her keys, phone and purse inside.—
Killian Baarlaer,
The Courier-Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
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The lack of parking is made worse by drivers who leave large commercial trucks or work vans abandoned on neighboring streets, often taking up multiple parking spaces, Lopez said.—
Alyssa N. Salcedo,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Since no outside developer or landlord is taking a cut, the arrangement should, in theory, throw off some savings.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
11 Aug. 2025
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Delay activities that could throw off sparks until the wind dies down.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But those plans were scrapped after the developer disagreed with its equity partner over how to move forward, according to previous Statesman reporting.—
Katherine Jones,
Idaho Statesman,
13 Aug. 2025
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After extending the pilot for an extra year, the agency scrapped the offering in 2016.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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He’s been locked up in MDC Brooklyn since October 2024, when Judge Diana Gujarati revoked his bond for flunking out of three drug treatment programs.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
12 Aug. 2025
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Last month, Congress approved the Trump administration’s rescission package, revoking $1.1 billion previously allocated to public radio and television.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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No dives were ever aborted due to the real-time monitoring system, the report found.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
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What to Know American Airlines Flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 bound for Miami, was forced to abort takeoff on Saturday after a reported maintenance issue involving an aircraft tire.—
Emma Marsden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Call off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20off. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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