cancellation
gb/kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/ us/kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
B1
English
~ 7200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
action
1
the act of calling something off
The act of saying that a planned event, booking, or meeting will not happen.
Usage pattern:
the cancellation of [event/reservation/appointment]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "cancellation" with "delay" or "postponement". A delay or postponement means the event will happen later, but a cancellation means it will not happen at all. Another common mistake is spelling: both "cancellation" and "cancelation" exist, but "cancellation" (with double "l") is the standard form in most varieties of English.
Synonyms
calling off (More informal and usually used as a verb phrase rather than a noun.)
|
withdrawal (Suggests pulling back an offer or arrangement, often in slightly more formal contexts.)
Antonyms
confirmation (Shows that the event or booking will definitely happen, the opposite of canceling it.)
|
continuation (Focuses on something going ahead instead of being stopped.)
Collocations
flight cancellation
|last-minute cancellation
|cancellation fee
|cancellation policy
|ticket cancellation
|reservation cancellation
Themes
daily life
|travel
|business
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Due to the storm, there was a last-minute cancellation of all evening flights.
- We received an email confirming the cancellation of our hotel reservation.
- The conference cancellation upset many people who had already bought tickets.
- Please notify us at least 24 hours before any appointment cancellation.
- The theater announced the cancellation of tonight's performance because the lead actor is sick.
Learner examples
- There was a cancellation of the class because the teacher was ill.
- I called the restaurant to ask about the cancellation of my booking.
- The heavy rain caused the cancellation of the football game.
- We were disappointed by the cancellation of our flight.
- The hotel charges a fee for late cancellation of a room.
Noun
B2
action
2
ending a service or contract
The act of stopping a contract, service, or subscription so it does not continue.
Usage pattern:
the cancellation of [contract/service/subscription]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "stop" instead of "cancellation" in formal contexts, e.g. "the stop of my contract" instead of "the cancellation of my contract". Also, many learners say "I did a cancellation" rather than more natural phrases like "I canceled my subscription" or "I requested a cancellation."
Synonyms
termination (More formal and legal-sounding, commonly used for contracts and employment.)
|
revocation (Formal; emphasizes officially taking back a right or permission.)
Antonyms
renewal (Extending a contract or service instead of ending it.)
|
activation (Starting a service or making it active, the opposite of canceling it.)
Collocations
subscription cancellation
|policy cancellation
|contract cancellation
|service cancellation
|membership cancellation
|order cancellation
Themes
business
|law
|technology
|finance
|daily_life
Examples
- We require 30 days' notice for the cancellation of your internet service.
- After repeated late payments, the company sent a notice of policy cancellation.
- The sudden cancellation of his contract left him without income.
- You can manage your subscription cancellation online at any time.
- Early cancellation of the lease will result in an additional fee.
Learner examples
- I called customer service to ask about the cancellation of my phone plan.
- The gym needs a form for the cancellation of your membership.
- She requested cancellation of her streaming subscription before her free trial ended.
- The hotel confirmed the cancellation of his booking in writing.
- The bank warned him about possible cancellation of his credit card.
Noun
technical
B2
action
3
removing matching terms in math
In math, the process of removing the same number or factor from both sides of an equation, or from the top and bottom of a fraction.
Usage pattern:
cancellation of [terms/factors] in [equation/fraction]
Common mistake:
Learners often think they can use cancellation across addition or subtraction (for example, trying to cancel the x in x + 2 over x), which is incorrect. Cancellation in basic algebra only works reliably with common factors in multiplication or division, not with separate terms in sums.
Synonyms
reduction (Focuses on making a fraction or expression simpler; slightly broader than cancellation.)
Collocations
cancellation of terms
|cancellation of factors
|fraction cancellation
|algebraic cancellation
Themes
math
|education
|science
Examples
- Careless cancellation of terms can lead to incorrect solutions.
- Factor the expression first to allow proper cancellation of common factors.
- In this step, we perform cancellation of the 3 in the numerator and denominator.
- The teacher warned them against illegal cancellation in the fraction.
- Cancellation simplifies the equation, making it easier to solve.
Learner examples
- We used cancellation to make the fraction smaller.
- The teacher showed us cancellation of the number 2 on both sides.
- Be careful: wrong cancellation can give a bad answer.
- Cancellation helps to make the equation simple.
- After cancellation, the fraction becomes one half.
Noun
technical
C1
action
4
removing a signal by opposite signal
The act of making a sound or signal weaker or silent by adding another, opposite signal.
Usage pattern:
cancellation of [noise/echo/interference]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "noise cancellation" simply means "good sound blocking" like thick walls, but it usually refers to technology that creates an opposite sound wave to reduce noise.
Synonyms
neutralization (General technical term for making something ineffective, not limited to sound.)
Antonyms
amplification (Making a sound or signal stronger instead of reducing or removing it.)
Collocations
noise cancellation
|echo cancellation
|active cancellation
|interference cancellation
Themes
science
|technology
|audio
Examples
- The headphones use active noise cancellation to block out engine sounds.
- Improved echo cancellation made the call much clearer.
- Signal cancellation occurs when the two waves are exactly out of phase.
- The engineer adjusted the system to increase low-frequency noise cancellation.
- Modern cars rely on sound cancellation to create a quieter cabin.
Learner examples
- These earphones have good noise cancellation on the bus.
- Echo cancellation makes online meetings easier to hear.
- The two sound waves meet and there is cancellation.
- The machine uses cancellation of noise to make the room quiet.
- Better cancellation of background sound helps you focus.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
5
postmark on a used stamp
A printed mark on a stamp that shows it has already been used.
Usage pattern:
a cancellation on [stamp/envelope]
Common mistake:
This meaning is quite specialized; learners may not realize that in philately and postal contexts, "cancellation" can refer not to the act, but to the actual mark on the stamp.
Synonyms
postmark (Broader term for the dated mark on mailed items; not all postmarks are strictly cancellations in the philatelic sense.)
Collocations
stamp cancellation
|postmark cancellation
|handstamp cancellation
|first-day cancellation
Themes
mail
|government
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The envelope bears a clear cancellation from the London post office.
- Collectors often look for a light cancellation that does not hide the stamp design.
- This stamp has a rare first-day cancellation.
- The heavy cancellation makes it hard to see the picture on the stamp.
- A double cancellation can reduce the value of a collectible stamp.
Learner examples
- The stamp has a black cancellation on it.
- A light cancellation is better for stamp collectors.
- The letter shows a round cancellation from Paris.
- This old stamp has no cancellation, so it was never used.
- I can read the city name in the cancellation on the envelope.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cancellation
IPA
GB/kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
US/kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
can - cel - la - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (la)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cancellation
- Plural: cancellation, cancellations
Word family
Forms
cancellations
noun
Core family
cancel
verb A2
Related words
cancellable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
uncancellable
adjective
Expressions
cancellation fee
1/kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən fˈi/
fixed phrase
money you pay for canceling
An extra amount of money you must pay because you canceled a booking, service, or order.
Examples
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before arrival, the hotel will charge a cancellation fee.
- I decided not to change my flight when I saw the high cancellation fee.
- There is no cancellation fee if you cancel your subscription during the free trial period.
cancellation policy
1/kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən pˈɑlɪsi/
fixed phrase
rules about canceling bookings
The rules of a company or service that say when you can cancel and if you must pay money.
Examples
- Please read our cancellation policy carefully before making a reservation.
- Their cancellation policy allows you to change the date up to seven days in advance.
- The airline updated its cancellation policy after the pandemic.
class cancellation
1/klˈæs kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
a lesson that is canceled
When a school, teacher, or university decides that a planned class will not happen.
Examples
- We received a message about class cancellation due to the snowstorm.
- Unexpected class cancellations can affect students' exam preparation.
- The professor apologized for the late class cancellation.
flight cancellation
1/flˈaɪt kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
a plane trip that is canceled
When an airline decides that a planned flight will not take place.
Examples
- Heavy snow caused widespread flight cancellations across the country.
- We slept in the airport after our flight cancellation.
- You can request a refund online in the event of a flight cancellation.
last-minute cancellation
1/lˈæst mˈɪnɪt kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
canceling very shortly before
A cancellation that happens very late, just before the event or booking was supposed to start.
Examples
- We had a last-minute cancellation, so there is one seat available on the tour.
- The doctor charges extra for last-minute cancellations.
- Due to a last-minute cancellation, the concert was called off minutes before it began.
noise cancellation
1/nˈɔɪz kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technology to reduce background noise
Technology that makes loud or unwanted sounds quieter by using opposite sound waves.
Examples
- The headphones' noise cancellation is strong enough for long flights.
- She bought a headset with noise cancellation for working in a busy office.
- Modern smartphones often support basic noise cancellation during calls.
order cancellation
1/ˈɔɹdɚ kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
canceling a purchase order
The act of stopping a purchase order so the store does not send the goods or provide the service.
Examples
- You will receive an email confirming your order cancellation.
- The website does not allow order cancellation after the item has shipped.
- Due to a system error, there were several unexpected order cancellations.
reservation cancellation
1/ɹˌɛzɚvˈeɪʃən kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
canceling a booking or reservation
The act of stopping a hotel, restaurant, or other booking so you will not use it.
Examples
- Please inform us of any reservation cancellations at least 48 hours in advance.
- We received several reservation cancellations because of the bad weather.
- Reservation cancellation is free if you cancel before Monday.
show cancellation
1/ʃˈoʊ kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
ending a program or performance
When a TV show or public performance is stopped or does not happen as planned.
Examples
- Fans were upset about the sudden show cancellation after only one season.
- The theater announced the show cancellation on social media.
- Show cancellations are common when ticket sales are low.
train cancellation
1/tɹˈeɪn kˌænsəlˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
a train service that is canceled
When a train company decides that a planned train will not run.
Examples
- Signal problems caused several train cancellations this morning.
- Due to the strike, train cancellations are expected across the network.
- Passengers will be informed of any train cancellation by text message.