CALLED OFF Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

called off

verb

past tense of call off

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

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 Efforts to locate McCrystal included aerial and ground searches, which were called off earlier this month after a two-week search yielded no trace. — Sarah Jean Maher, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were called off this year due to the Iran war. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 Realizing his body could no longer execute, Brees allegedly called off the comeback. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026 The two sides later launched trade talks and called off some of their most stringent measures, but tensions have remained high. — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 The Tempe Fire Department called off the search for a missing body after sending dive crews to Tempe Town Lake in response to reports of a person going underwater near the Rural Road Bridge. — David Ulloa Jr, AZCentral.com, 7 Sep. 2026 The rescue effort had already been called off in August because of Link’s own troubles in orbit, but the company wanted the practice for future satellite-servicing missions. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 The companies ultimately called off the deal in 2023 due to regulatory hurdles. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 3 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for called off

Verb

To spend two and a half minutes studying that goal so forensically, and then seemingly lose sight of how Fernandez, from an offside position, distracted Martinez and goalkeeper Senne Lammens, is the worst of both worlds.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
The pain distracted Garrett while facing a 49ers lineup that included three-time All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of distracted

Verb

Netflix has canceled its drama series Sweet Magnolias after five seasons, but its showrunner and one of its lead actresses are also involved in a new show at the streamer.

— Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
The romantic drama starring JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley has been canceled at Netflix after five seasons.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of canceled

Verb

The money was nominally to pay civil servants and prop up infrastructure in a territory sequestered by an Israeli blockade, but many observers agreed that Hamas diverted a significant sum to its military wing.

— Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
How TADs work Tax Allocation Districts are designated areas where property tax revenue growth is diverted from governments and used to fund development and infrastructure improvements within that district.

— Patreece Hutcherson, AJC.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of diverted

Verb

The Department of Financial Services periodically holds unclaimed property auctions, where abandoned safe deposit box contents are auctioned by the Division of Unclaimed Property, the state said.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
One of those vehicles was found abandoned and engulfed in flames near Detroit Avenue.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of abandoned

Verb

At CinemaCon in April, Paramount announced that a sequel was finally in active development after multiple attempts to get another movie off the ground, including a version from Pitt’s frequent collaborator David Fincher, which was scrapped in 2019.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
There is no strong evidence that Sheeran's entire tour is going to be scrapped over the opening act issue.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrapped

Verb

This was partly inspired by the club’s latest investigations into apparent ‘ticket-touting’, when 1,149 fan accounts were banned, and more were threatened with having their season tickets revoked.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
If so, their pensions benefits could be reduced or even revoked.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of revoked

Verb

Or the pilots could have just aborted the landing at that point and circled to try again.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of aborted

Verb

For a home or business that uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, that could mean power bills roughly $8 a month lower with these changes than if current rules weren’t repealed.

— Akshaya Jha, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
In 2005, lawmakers repealed annual gas tax increases tied to inflation.

— Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026