CALLING OFF Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

calling off 1 of 2

noun

as in repeal

the act of putting an end to something planned or previously agreed to the calling off of the senior prom is not going to go over well

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

calling off

2 of 2

verb

present participle of call off

as in distracting

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in canceling

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 calling off

Verb

The officers pursued the vehicle, a Volkswagen Jetta, for roughly a minute before calling off the chase because of the suspect’s speed and erratic driving, police said. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 In her interviews, Kardashian recalls her experience which included taking care of him after his overdose and even calling off their divorce proceedings amid his recovery. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2026 The recent release of video from the incident led to ABC calling off Paul’s season of The Bachelorette right before it was set to premiere. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026 In a statement, DHS told WJZ that nearly 500 TSA officers have quit during the shutdown, and thousands more are calling off work. — Tara Lynch, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026 An increasing number of TSA officers have been calling off work, leading to staffing shortages inside airport security and lengthy screening lines at some airports. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026 Yet calling off the face-to-face visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping could have its own major economic consequences as relations between the world's two biggest economies remain fraught over tariffs and other issues. — Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026 The news that Glass was calling off his appearance also caught off guard the National Symphony Orchestra. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026 The university cited budget cuts as the reason for calling off this year's dinner for the first time in its almost 60-year history, according to a letter posted by the Black Student Union. — Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 16 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for calling off

Noun

The loss of those credits, combined with the administration’s repeal of tailpipe emissions rules, will significantly slow EV uptake in the US, Energy Innovation projects.

— Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
For defenders, a subsidy regime this complex is vulnerable not only to broad repeal, but to administrative friction.

— Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of repeal

Verb

Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them.

— Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026
There was some online angst over whether Swift was distracting from football — while the NFL itself capitalized on her fandom.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026

Definition of distracting

Verb

From premium noise-canceling headphones to budget-friendly wireless earbuds, these are the standout offers still active right now.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 July 2026
The same goes for pedestrians, who increasingly are glued to phones and engrossed in noise-canceling headphones.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of canceling

Noun

Clean energy projects accounted for 93 percent of those project cancellations.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026
For 45 years, Marathon Weekend has been anchored to the first Sunday in October, but since extreme heat forced the cancellation of the marathon and 10-mile races in 2023, the marathon has been run under elevated Event Alert System readings.

— Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026

Definition of cancellation

Verb

But hiking defense spending means increasing taxes or diverting resources from other priorities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee released a report this week criticizing the president and Freedom 250, accusing it of diverting funds and misleading sponsors.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 3 July 2026

Definition of diverting

Noun

For fast fashion retailers, the first discount typically lands within four to twelve hours of abandonment.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 July 2026
In 2017, still a puppy, he was rescued from abandonment and mistreatment by the Asociación Pro Defensa de los Animales, which restored his health and, with it, his chances.

— Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026