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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of called off
But Wednesday's test, the second to involve all four crew members, was called off to give flight controllers time to troubleshoot a liquid oxygen pressurization issue in the crew ship's service module that cropped up shortly after launch.
—
William Harwood, CBS News, 9 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
And then, five months into their engagement, Alexis called off the wedding.
—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
Having been engaged six times, Jennifer Lopez is no stranger to incredible engagement rings, including a knockout 6-carat pink diamond ring from Ben Affleck for their first engagement in 2002, which the two called off.
—Briana Draguca, PEOPLE, 4 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
William Harwood, CBS News, 9 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
And then, five months into their engagement, Alexis called off the wedding.
—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
Having been engaged six times, Jennifer Lopez is no stranger to incredible engagement rings, including a knockout 6-carat pink diamond ring from Ben Affleck for their first engagement in 2002, which the two called off.
—Briana Draguca, PEOPLE, 4 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
-
Woods was far more comfortable with telling officers he was distracted versus possibly impaired.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Black, naturally, also sings a verse about forgetting the wise words of a man in the Tibetan mountains because he was distracted by a terse text from his wife.—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But those shootarounds can be canceled for any number of reasons, including if the game is the second in consecutive nights, or if the team is in the middle of a tough stretch of travel or practiced the day before.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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After the coronavirus pandemic canceled Coachella in 2020 and 2021, fans were excited to be back at the polo grounds in 2022.—
Vanessa Franko,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Military under severe strain The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last month diverted a combat battalion from the northern border with Lebanon to the West Bank amid the wartime surge in settler violence.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The Midgett crew was diverted from a patrol mission in the region, the Coast Guard said.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But later that month, after several employees talked about quitting, the plan was abandoned.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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On Israel, which fringes on both the Left and the Right have increasingly abandoned, Gallego questioned those who want to defund defensive support to the Middle Eastern nation.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for the visit to be scrapped.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
6 Apr. 2026
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When money is guaranteed for injury, he is entitled to that money if his contract is scrapped as a result of a physical issue sustained while performing contractual services.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The fraternity’s student organization status has been revoked through spring 2031, according to an online database that logs KU student groups’ conduct violations.—
Matthew Kelly
April 6,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Residency permits, even for those with long-term Golden Visas, are reportedly being revoked without notice.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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In my opinion, the 18th Amendment should be repealed so Congress doesn’t get paid during a shutdown.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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That portion of the bill addressing proprietary business information will automatically be repealed on July 1, 2033.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Called off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20off. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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