1
as in to distract
to draw the attention or mind to something else
she was about to tell me the big news when her attention was called off by the arrival of another guest
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2
as in to cancel
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to)
called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it
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Recent Examples of call off
The event was abruptly called off after UHG leadership learned of the killing.
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Bertha Coombs,dan Mangan, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2024
In February 2022, the former couple called off their engagement but briefly reconciled before splitting again that April.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
The four fall concerts Pink postponed last month — including one in Milwaukee — have been called off.
—Piet Levy, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
SpaceX has not yet provided a more specific reason for why the booster catch was called off.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for call off 
Bertha Coombs,dan Mangan, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2024
In February 2022, the former couple called off their engagement but briefly reconciled before splitting again that April.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 4 Dec. 2024
The four fall concerts Pink postponed last month — including one in Milwaukee — have been called off.
—Piet Levy, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
SpaceX has not yet provided a more specific reason for why the booster catch was called off.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for call off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off
Verb
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Be clear about your priorities and don’t let unnecessary features distract you.Rhett Power, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
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Go down the middle road, and split up to distract the team, and learn the shortcuts to run around the map as fast as possible.Rahul Majumdar, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The church canceled the charity event with bags of rice and clothing items still arranged within the premises.Dyepkazah Shibayan and Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2024
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Several schools have canceled Friday classes in Wisconsin due to the snowy weather.Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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According to Doggett, air traffic controllers have reported more than 50 incidents involving private planes that were diverted and could have ended up on a collision course with a commercial airplane.Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Dec. 2024
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Related article United Airlines plane diverted to L.A. in air carrier’s 4th emergency in a week The National Guard was notified, according to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency, known as AFAC, though its specific role remains unclear.Paradise Afshar, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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If the department’s predictions are correct, the U.S. would be essentially abandoning any pretense of trying to limit climate change.Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024
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The Claridge Hotel’s former casino sits abandoned as well.Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The story follows three couples who vacation with each other each season, but their harmony is thrown off balance when one of them gets divorced and brings a new partner into the fold.Lucy Ford, TIME, 20 Dec. 2024
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Why not spend hours playing, building up your riches and success only to watch it all get thrown off the table.Caoimhe O'Neill, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Because of the complexity of the mission - tactical testing of new weapons - things like wind speed and direction, cloud cover and precipitation might have scrapped it.Jim Clash, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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In September, the manufacturer scrapped its national trial after results showed the medication worked no better than the placebo.Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The fact that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called to bolster support for Ukraine in case Donald Trump revokes U.S. aid is indicative of how Europe and the U.K. anticipate how the Republican's second presidential term will go.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
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If Trump revokes California’s waiver, a legal battle will likely ensue between the incoming administration and the Golden State.William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Though women can also abort a pregnancy taking only misoprostol, according to Planned Parenthood.Alyssa Goldberg, The Courier-Journal, 13 Nov. 2024
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According to a SpaceX spokesperson, this even surprised them because the expectation was that the Super Heavy would either crash or be forced at the last second to abort the landing and dump itself into the Gulf of Mexico.David Szondy, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Call off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20off. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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