1
as in distracted
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cancelled
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 called off
The football team’s game last week against George Washington was called off and will not be made up.
—
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Kevat went missing in the water, prompting a search and rescue operation, but after several hours of unsuccessful searching for the teen, the operation was called off later that night, per The Independent.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
Back in 2023, Aerosmith called off their Peace Out … Farewell Tour after three shows because Tyler fractured his larynx onstage.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
After the wedding was called off, Belly flew to Paris to start a new chapter in her life without the Fisher brothers.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Police called off their pursuit of Cook over safety concerns, but found his vehicle abandoned in a neighborhood less than a mile away.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025
Baymax would try to join in when horses took off running but was always respectful and could be called off.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Then in June, the project was called off.
—David Gelles, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
The Washington Post first reported that the military academy called off this month’s event, saying the cancellation would allow West Point to instead focus on preparing enrollees for their future service.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 8 Sep. 2025
Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Kevat went missing in the water, prompting a search and rescue operation, but after several hours of unsuccessful searching for the teen, the operation was called off later that night, per The Independent.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025
Back in 2023, Aerosmith called off their Peace Out … Farewell Tour after three shows because Tyler fractured his larynx onstage.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
After the wedding was called off, Belly flew to Paris to start a new chapter in her life without the Fisher brothers.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Police called off their pursuit of Cook over safety concerns, but found his vehicle abandoned in a neighborhood less than a mile away.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025
Baymax would try to join in when horses took off running but was always respectful and could be called off.
—Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Then in June, the project was called off.
—David Gelles, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
The Washington Post first reported that the military academy called off this month’s event, saying the cancellation would allow West Point to instead focus on preparing enrollees for their future service.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for called off
Verb
-
Items Made of Quality Materials Stephanie Wells recommends not getting distracted by looking for a particular type of item while thrifting but instead keeping your eyes open to a number of quality materials.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Prosecutors told the jury not to be distracted by these arguments, that the broader picture clearly showed who was at the center of these killings.—
Miguel Torres,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Airports in Copenhagen and Norway temporarily suspended operations and diverted flights on Monday night after reports of drones in the Nordic countries’ airspace.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Sep. 2025
-
In 2024, LS&Co reports that key suppliers (which the company defines as suppliers covering more than 80 percent of its global product units) diverted 77 percent of waste from landfill—up one percent from the prior year.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The final stage of a major bike race was canceled earlier this month after several large pro-Palestinian demonstrations disrupted the event, in protest of the Israel-Premier Tech team’s participation.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The incident comes just days after Young cancelled a New Jersey performance that had been scheduled for Friday.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The findings show that nature can reclaim even the most unexpected human leftovers, turning toxic and abandoned war relics into thriving underwater ecosystems.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Many of singer D4vd’s friends in the Los Angeles music scene had come to believe that Celeste Rivas Hernandez was his 19-year-old girlfriend, long before the 15-year-old’s body was found dismembered in the trunk of his Tesla, which had been abandoned in the Hollywood hills a month earlier.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The initiative had to be scrapped months later due to the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Hinds scrapped with Utah’s Ben McCartney in the third tilt of the evening, early in the third period.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Borderland has revoked his citizenship.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Omar Ahmad, Eagles Sports Range's founder, transferred the business to his son, Nazeh Ahmad, after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives revoked his firearm licenses in 2022 for illegally selling firearms to those not allowed to buy them, according to court filings.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Called off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20off. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share