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

The voluntary carbon market, which purportedly allows companies and individuals to cancel out their emissions footprints, grew to roughly $2 billion in 2021. —Sarah Emerson, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

It’s scheduled to start running during the middle of next year and is supposed to have the capacity to capture up to 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year for clients looking to cancel out some of their carbon footprint. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 5 Sep. 2024

Otherwise, the steep interest rates on these cards will cancel out the value of rewards. —Nerdwallet, The Mercury News, 29 July 2024

Companies purchase these credits to try to cancel out the impact their own pollution has on the climate. —Justine Calma, The Verge, 1 Aug. 2024