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
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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
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Recent Examples of called off
Authorities have later called off several of those searches, though in one October operation, two survivors were picked up by a Navy helicopter and repatriated to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia.
—
CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Rehearsals for The Simpsons, where Hartman voiced several characters, were also called off the day he was killed.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere in the region, Formula 1 races set for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been called off.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
The date of the brunch fell two weeks after Alexis called off her engagement.
—Jenny Singer, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2026
On Monday, Pages called off Teoscar Hernández loud and clear, extending his arm as an extra precaution.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
In the wake of the government’s decision, Festival Republic, the firm that organizes Wireless Festival, said the event would be called off.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
If the first launch opportunity gets called off, NASA has a handful of backup options.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
But the wedding was called off for an undisclosed reason.
—Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Rehearsals for The Simpsons, where Hartman voiced several characters, were also called off the day he was killed.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere in the region, Formula 1 races set for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been called off.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
The date of the brunch fell two weeks after Alexis called off her engagement.
—Jenny Singer, Glamour, 8 Apr. 2026
On Monday, Pages called off Teoscar Hernández loud and clear, extending his arm as an extra precaution.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
In the wake of the government’s decision, Festival Republic, the firm that organizes Wireless Festival, said the event would be called off.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
If the first launch opportunity gets called off, NASA has a handful of backup options.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
But the wedding was called off for an undisclosed reason.
—Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for called off
Verb
-
Buxton scored the first run on a wild pitch and scored another later when Austin Martin was picked off and got caught in a rundown, breaking from third while Detroit defenders were distracted.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The implication is that she got distracted and failed to notice the most important things.—
Brandy Jensen,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The school district canceled classes, child care, community education and after-school activities because several school technology systems are down, the district announced Sunday.—
Mara H. Gottfried,
Twin Cities,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The Wireless Festival in London may have been canceled, but the artist still has dates listed across Europe this summer, including Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and France.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While the small moonlet asteroid Dimorphos posed no threat to Earth, the mission served as a successful demonstration that dangerous space rocks could be diverted from a collision course with Earth.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Construction equipment was mobilized to the project area March 23, and traffic was diverted away from the Twenty Mile Road's northbound lanes and onto the southbound lanes March 25.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dozens of homes stood abandoned until they were razed and replaced with signs saying to keep out.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The town of Red Ash was abandoned in the 1950s, and today, the island lies quietly as a part of West Virginia’s history, with just a handful of headstones remaining.—
Jordan Charbonneau,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most notably, the agency scrapped long-standing plans to build a space station orbiting the moon, called Gateway.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The news comes after his Friday night set was scrapped due to severe weather conditions.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That license was revoked by the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission that same year.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The British government then revoked his security clearance and banned him from working in intelligence.—
Courtney Cole,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After a series of mishaps, including a sandstorm, mechanical problems and a helicopter collision, the operation was aborted.—
Sheena Samu,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Officials said the fire truck was responding to another aircraft operated by United Airlines, which had reported an odor issue and aborted its scheduled takeoff.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In New Zealand, a ban was adopted in 2022 but repealed in 2024.—
Marie Helweg-Larsen,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The policy proved both unpopular and ineffective and was repealed in 2023.—
Rachel Canter,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Called off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20off. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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