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to call off

to call off

91 2.8
To cancel a planned event or activity
  • phrasal verb
  • /kɔl ɔf/
translation icon : cancelar
  • I decided to call off the picnic due to the rainy weather.
  • the president called off

And then I think it was the NBA that called off the season.

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Examples

Synonyms

to cancel
vsto call off
814 1.0

To decide that a planned event will not happen

includes delaying plans and often implies no plan to schedule again
to put off
vsto call off
113 2.9

Delay something until a later time

often implies final decision or no plan to schedule it again
to abort
vsto call off
93 5.6

To stop a plan or activity before it finishes, often because of problems

applies more to planned events and may also mean postponing instead
to scratch
vsto call off
80 3.4

To remove or cancel something, for example a meeting

focuses on ending or delaying scheduled plans often without rebooking
to hold off
vsto call off
78 3.8

To wait before doing something

more often ends or delays plans with no plan to set a new time
to hold off on
vsto call off
37 4.2

To wait before doing something

tends to mean ending or postponing plans often without intent to resume
to cancel trip
vsto call off
12 2.0

Decide not to go on a planned journey because of a problem

applies to any planned activity and often lacks intent to reschedule
to scrub
vsto call off
12 5.6

To cancel a planned event, often at short notice

often implies ending or delaying plans without intent to schedule again
to put on ice
vsto call off
11 5.8

To delay a plan or project for a while

can instead end or delay plans often without intention to schedule again

Antonyms

to schedule
789 3.0

To arrange something to happen at a certain time

to reschedule
109 3.0

Move a planned event to a new time

How Final

to end
∞ 1.0
to call off
91 2.8
to break off
50 3.2
to interrupt
909 2.5
to pause
346 1.0

Surface Forms

call off infinitive
called off past
called off past participle
calling off present participle
calls off third person singular

Morphology

call + off

The meaning 'to cancel or postpone' is connected to the particle off (indicating removal/cessation) combined with call, but it relies on the phrasal-verb pattern rather than straightforward compositional logic. A B1 learner who knows both words might guess the general idea, but the specific cancellation sense depends on experience with English phrasal verbs, so it is not fully predictable.

Etymology

Call off meaning 'to cancel' comes from the idea of calling someone away to stop an action, for example shouting to call hunting dogs off their chase. If you call something off, you tell it to stop, so the phrase means 'to cancel'.