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 canceled
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
Sweeney and ex-fiancé Jonathan Davino called off their engagement in March 2025.
—
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Why were Groundhog Day festivities called off in 2011?
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
The streamer’s annual party, which was called off last year due to the Los Angeles fires, is a hot-ticket event each Grammy year, welcoming roughly 1,500 industry attendees for a night of music and mingling.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026
Several of the skiers who competed crashed; officials called off the rest of the race after Vonn’s spill.
—Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
Afterward, she was airlifted off the course, and the race was called off.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 30 Jan. 2026
Indiana school districts called off in-person learning for days after the storm.
—Evan Frank, IndyStar, 29 Jan. 2026
Fortunato Bas chairs the Alameda County Together for All (ACT) committee which began drafting the ordinances last fall amid the launch of a Bay Area immigration enforcement operation which was eventually called off.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Most Memphis schools have called off classes for Wednesday, with some colleges having remote learning for another day as well.
—Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 28 Jan. 2026
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Why were Groundhog Day festivities called off in 2011?
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
The streamer’s annual party, which was called off last year due to the Los Angeles fires, is a hot-ticket event each Grammy year, welcoming roughly 1,500 industry attendees for a night of music and mingling.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 30 Jan. 2026
Several of the skiers who competed crashed; officials called off the rest of the race after Vonn’s spill.
—Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
Afterward, she was airlifted off the course, and the race was called off.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 30 Jan. 2026
Indiana school districts called off in-person learning for days after the storm.
—Evan Frank, IndyStar, 29 Jan. 2026
Fortunato Bas chairs the Alameda County Together for All (ACT) committee which began drafting the ordinances last fall amid the launch of a Bay Area immigration enforcement operation which was eventually called off.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Most Memphis schools have called off classes for Wednesday, with some colleges having remote learning for another day as well.
—Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for called off
Verb
-
They were seen by the clergy, for example, to be distracted by chocolate, drinking it and gossiping instead of paying attention to mass.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Yet, the brooms are out, and the cleanup has begun in earnest, creating a sense that NASCAR pushed away the off-track drama that has distracted the league.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Amy Etheridge of Del Cerro took her mother into a Kaiser facility on Friday, one day after her regular cancer appointment was cancelled.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The Panama Maritime Authority said Sunday in a brief statement that the ship was no longer registered there and had been canceled in December 2024.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Four small planes were diverted by the Air Force after breaching restricted airspace around the stadium, but the aircraft were never considered threats.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The revelation raised concerns about conflicts of interest in American foreign policy, especially given the scrutiny surrounding the US-UAE chip deal over worries the tech could be diverted to China.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The building, a former power plant abandoned in the ‘80s, looms over the crowd like a monolithic temple to techno.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The cab would be abandoned and the trailer would be hitched to another truck, court documents show.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bally’s ultimately scrapped the minority requirements in April 2025 and refiled the IPO following federal lawsuits alleging the offering discriminated against white men.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Originally envisioned as a musical, Williams was tasked with writing original songs with lyricist Leslie Bricusse before the idea was scrapped.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Last week, the Miami-Dade commissioner representing that area of Kendall, Raquel Regalado, filed legislation to ban the feeding of stray animals outside of businesses or in public parks but ultimately revoked it after receiving backlash.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
-
According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70%.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Pilots on the Mesa Airlines flight decided that the separation between their craft and the one taking off was insufficient and initiated a go-around, in which a landing is aborted.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
This enables a safe recovery during training exercises or if a strike mission is aborted, a feature aimed at reducing losses during non-combat operations.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This law, which includes stricter punishments for those who don't comply, repealed a 2001 ordinance on kite flying.—
Betsy Joles,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
-
In a 2014 editorial, the Times argued the federal ban on the drug should be repealed, and the decision should be left up to the individual states.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Called off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20off. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
