CALLS OFF Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

calls off

verb

present tense third-person singular of call off

as in distracts

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 cancels

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 calls off The president calls off plans to send the National Guard to San Francisco. — Christian Orozco, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for calls off

Verb

This cultural debate distracts from systemic policy failures and the high cost of raising children, which makes motherhood an economic battleground.

— Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Mother’s explosion distracts Blaine and frees Sam.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 22 May 2026

Definition of distracts

Verb

Blocking one chokepoint diverts traffic to others, congesting alternatives.

— Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
The attempt by former HFPA members to leverage the Golden Globe Foundation, an independent nonprofit, simply to secure Golden Globes tickets is an unfortunate distraction that inappropriately diverts resources from legitimate charitable causes.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 July 2026

Definition of diverts

Verb

The aircraft abandons the familiar tube-and-wing layout used by Boeing and Airbus.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Sophie Cunningham/transgender debate has no easy right or wrong // FIFA bows to pressure from Europe boycott, abandons private-equity plan // History suggests Miami Dolphins may be surprise team in ’26 // Cancel that intro.

— Greg Cote August 16, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of abandons

Verb

Now, so this rule changes that policy and pretty much scraps the requirement for those interviews to take place, which are really kind of integral to the process.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
The current proposal before the board scraps 800 jobs, but community pushback has delayed the decision.

— Natalie La Roche Pietri, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026