call off

verb

called off; calling off; calls off

transitive verb

1

: to draw away : divert

2

: cancel

Synonyms

• abstract
• detract
• distract
• divert
• throw off

Examples of call off in a Sentence

she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest

called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it

Recent Examples on the Web

Dozens of people were rescued from the incident in the North Sea, but one crew member is presumed dead after a search was called off. —Christian Edwards, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025

Citing President Trump’s massive overhaul of the prestigious Washington, D.C. venue, Jeffrey Seller officially called off the return of the award-winning musical, which played sold out Kennedy Center runs in 2018 and 2022. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 6 Mar. 2025

Update for 7 pm ET: SpaceX called off the launch of Starship Flight 8 due to last-minute glitches on the Booster and Ship vehicles. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Mar. 2025

Investigators also alleged that Zane had planned to get married during the trip but called off the wedding, according to the report. —Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for call off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

call off

verb

1

: to draw away : divert

call off a dog

2

: cancel sense 2a

call off a meeting