cancel

verb

ˈkan(t)-səl How to pronounce cancel (audio)
Definition of cancelnext
1
as in to abandon
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) please call to cancel your appointment with the dentist if you can't make it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to abolish
to put an end to by formal action the agreement can be canceled by either side with a formal written notice

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to delete
to show (something written) to be no longer valid by drawing a cross over or a line through it canceled the check and wrote a new one

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4
as in to erase
to destroy all traces of it seemed as though all honor and decency had been canceled by the war's new moral order

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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 cancel At least four Florida school districts canceled late-week classes, while several counties announced mandatory evacuations for some coastal areas. — R.j. Rico, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Some Gulf oil wells paused production, and at least four Florida school districts canceled classes for later in the week. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 More than 275 flights were canceled Thursday at King Khalid International Airport, according to flight monitor FlightAware. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 Rodgers also had visits planned with UCLA and Rutgers, but canceled them after visiting Boise State. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cancel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cancel
  1. abandon
  2. abolish
  3. delete
  4. erase
  5. revoke
  6. repeal
  7. eradicate
  8. abort
Verb
  • Industry analysts note that abandoning the export ban reflects recognition that such restrictions could prove counterproductive.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • However, in the 7th century, this all vanished; the temples were abandoned and later looted, and Kea never again revived its trade or harbor settlements.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of abandon
Verb
  • This endeavor is not easy, and these companies are strongly advocating for abolishing the leap second.
    — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Amendment, which abolished slavery and argued that loopholes in the amendment helped pave the way for the mass incarceration of Black Americans.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of abolish
Verb
  • The profile has since been deleted and CNN has reached out to LinkedIn for comment.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The party asked for a court order to force her to return or delete the data.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of delete
Verb
  • By naming the product of two mergers Skydance, David Ellison relegates two of Hollywood’s founding studios to a sub-brand stew and attempts to erase a bunch of controversial hires.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • First among this unsung cohort are the women of the march, who have been all but erased from the record.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of erase
Verb
  • The bankruptcy filing comes months after the Sacramento County Board of Education overturned Twin Rivers Unified’s decision to revoke the charters, and the district appealed that ruling to the California State Board of Education.
    — Chaewon Chung Updated October 5, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • On top of that, the government can revoke permanent residency for not meeting pension contribution obligations, failing to pay health insurance and taxes, and violating immigration law or the penal code.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of revoke
Verb
  • Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency ceded some of its climate authority by repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.
    — LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Forest Service says repealing the Roadless Rule would not immediately authorize roads, logging or mining in the Shawnee’s roadless areas.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of repeal
Verb
  • But somehow, in the midst of all this frat-boy revelry, Ilya is able to outline his vision for the future, one in which AI will have solved numerous human problems, including eradicating not only cancer but also loneliness and unhappiness.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • This park is the result of the Tompkins’ passion for this part of the world and their desire to rewild this part of Chile that had been overfarmed and overgrazed to the point of almost eradicating its native flora and fauna.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Verb
  • SpaceX says this mission's launch profile includes portions that would allow Starship to abort its orbital trajectory and return to Earth safely.
    — Brendan Byrne, NPR, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Flight-recorder data showed the pilots tried in the last seconds to lift off again to attempt to abort the landing and try again, but there was not enough runway left.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of abort

Phrases Containing cancel

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Cite this Entry

“Cancel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cancel. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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