cancel
gb/kˈænsəl/ us/kˈænsəl/
A2
English
~ 3500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Decide not to hold event
To say that something planned will not happen.
Usage pattern:
to cancel [an event/meeting/reservation]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cancel' with 'postpone'. 'Cancel' means it will not happen at all, while 'postpone' means it will happen later.
Synonyms
call off (Informal and common; often used for events or arrangements.)
Antonyms
schedule (To arrange for something to happen rather than stopping it.)
Collocations
cancel a meeting
|cancel an appointment
|cancel a flight
|cancel a reservation
|cancel a trip
Themes
daily life
|business
|travel
|daily_life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They had to cancel the concert because of bad weather.
- We decided to cancel our dinner plans.
- The airline canceled the flight due to technical issues.
- She canceled her gym membership last month.
- The meeting was canceled at the last minute.
Learner examples
- I canceled my trip.
- They canceled the game.
- The school canceled classes today.
- We canceled our lunch.
- He canceled the party.
Verb
A2
action
2
End a service or order
To stop a service or order so it will not continue.
Usage pattern:
to cancel [a subscription/order/service]
Synonyms
terminate (More formal; often used in legal or business contexts.)
Antonyms
renew (To continue or extend a service or contract rather than stopping it.)
Collocations
cancel a subscription
|cancel an order
|cancel a contract
|cancel a membership
Themes
business
|daily life
|technology
|finance
|daily_life
Examples
- I decided to cancel my magazine subscription.
- They canceled the order before it shipped.
- You can cancel the service at any time.
- He canceled his online account last week.
Learner examples
- I canceled my phone plan.
- She canceled her order.
- They canceled the service.
- We canceled our subscription.
Verb
informal
B2
action
3
Withdraw social support online
To stop supporting someone because they did something wrong, often online.
Usage pattern:
to cancel [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the general meaning of 'cancel' for events; here it refers to social rejection, not stopping an event.
Synonyms
boycott (Refers to avoiding products or services; 'cancel' in this sense is broader and more social-media driven.)
Antonyms
support (To continue endorsing or standing by someone rather than rejecting them.)
Collocations
cancel a celebrity
|cancel a brand
Themes
internet
|culture
|communication
|relationships
Examples
- The actor was canceled after offensive comments surfaced online.
- Some fans tried to cancel the brand over its ad campaign.
- She was canceled on Twitter for her remarks.
Learner examples
- People canceled the singer after the news.
- They canceled the brand online.
- Fans canceled him for his words.
Verb
technical
B1
action
4
Mark as used or invalid
To put a mark on something so it cannot be used again.
Usage pattern:
to cancel [a stamp/ticket/check]
Synonyms
invalidate (More formal; used in legal and official contexts.)
Antonyms
validate (To make something officially acceptable rather than marking it invalid.)
Collocations
cancel a check
|cancel a stamp
Themes
business
|law
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The bank canceled the check before it was cashed.
- They canceled the stamp with an ink mark.
- The clerk canceled my old passport.
Learner examples
- The bank canceled my check.
- She canceled the stamp.
- They canceled my ticket.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cancel
IPA
GB/kˈænsəl/
US/kˈænsəl/
Syllables & stress
can - cel (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (can)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: cancel
- 3rd Person Singular: cancels
- Present Participle: canceling, cancelling
- Past: canceled, cancelled
Word family
Forms
cancels
verb
canceling
verb
cancelling
verb
canceled
verb
cancelled
verb
Core family
cancellation
noun B1
Advanced or less common
cancellable
adjective
Expressions
cancel on [someone]
1/kˈænsəl ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
phrasal verb
informal
Break plan with someone
To decide not to meet someone after agreeing to meet them.
Examples
- He canceled on me at the last minute.
- I hate when friends cancel on me.
cancel out
1/kˈænsəl ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Neutralize an effect
To remove the effect of something by having an opposite effect.
Examples
- The two forces cancel out each other.
- Her kindness cancels out his rudeness.