cancel out
phrasal verb
canceled out or cancelled out; canceling out or cancelling out; cancels out
: to reduce the effect of (something) : to be equal to (something) in force or importance but have an opposite effect
The costs cancel out the benefits.
Examples of cancel out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Although Solo didn't do this, the profits from Disney's other Star Wars movies more than canceled out its loss.
—
Caroline Reid, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
The inability to land a superstar — and, in fairness, Zaidi did land Carlos Correa before the Giants called off the deal because of concerns raised by a physical examination — canceled out one of Zaidi’s strengths.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024
Pyles said Weihe's letter and their new friendship has completely canceled out all the hate mail, inspiring him to not only keep his Halloween display, but to expand it.
—Steve Hartman, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2024
Mainzer is also the lead scientist on NEO Surveyor, which will position itself in a halo-like orbit around a Lagrange point nearly a million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth, called L1, where the gravitational pull of the Sun and the Earth effectively cancel out one another.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cancel out 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Caroline Reid, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
The inability to land a superstar — and, in fairness, Zaidi did land Carlos Correa before the Giants called off the deal because of concerns raised by a physical examination — canceled out one of Zaidi’s strengths.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024
Pyles said Weihe's letter and their new friendship has completely canceled out all the hate mail, inspiring him to not only keep his Halloween display, but to expand it.
—Steve Hartman, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2024
Mainzer is also the lead scientist on NEO Surveyor, which will position itself in a halo-like orbit around a Lagrange point nearly a million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth, called L1, where the gravitational pull of the Sun and the Earth effectively cancel out one another.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cancel out
Articles Related to cancel out
Dictionary Entries Near cancel out
Cite this Entry
“Cancel out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cancel%20out. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share