CALLED OFF Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

called off

verb

past tense of call off

as in distracted

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in canceled

to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) called off the party after half of those invited couldn't make it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of called off Strikes on significant targets, including Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, and hostage rescue operations, were regularly delayed or called off over concerns for hostage safety, three officials said. — Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 But the Coast Guard also found three bodies, and the search for 10 people who remained missing was eventually called off. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 As the deadline approached, Claude responded by threatening to blackmail Johnson, revealing the affair to his wife and coworkers unless the replacement was called off. — Kevin Roose, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026 But Bulgaria failed to find any survivors from the Alfa Watan’s 10-person crew after the vessel sank and eventually called off search operations after only coming across life rafts and parts of the ship, according to AFP and Reuters. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 6 Oct. 2026 And in 2024, Idaho called off the execution of 73-year-old Thomas Creech after trying to find a vein for nearly an hour. — Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026 Stanton also reviewed Tennessee’s procedures after Lee called off a different execution in 2022 and found the state did not comply with its own lethal injection process. — Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Idaho called off the execution of Thomas Eugene Creech in 2024 after execution team members could not place a viable IV after eight attempts. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 After two Grand Prix races were called off amid tensions in West Asia earlier this year, one of them made a unique comeback to the calendar by choosing a different venue than originally planned. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for called off

Verb

And not be distracted by whether or not Ed Sheeran is crying today or crying tomorrow.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
But she, and New York Times journalists observing the raid, were soon distracted by a group of cockroaches scurrying past an oil canister.

— Zishaan a Latif, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of distracted

Verb

Several college football games were altered because of the storm, with six changing their kickoff times and one being canceled entirely.

— Ryan Morik , Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Public school classes were canceled, and residents were urged to wear face masks.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of canceled

Verb

Flights were canceled or diverted, and airport operations were suspended.

— Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Flight-tracking site flightradar24 showed all flights to Riyadh had either been diverted or canceled, with only a helicopter hovering over the airport at one point.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of diverted

Verb

Other countries have also scrapped cash-for-residency programs, citing concerns ranging from dirty money to housing affordability.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Other countries have also scrapped cash-for-residency programs, citing concerns including dirty money and housing affordability.

— Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of scrapped

Verb

Dozens of passengers and crew on the flight that aborted after the man jumped the airport’s perimeter fence in May are suing the airport, the city and two related companies for negligence and wrongful death.

— Katie Langford, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2026
Or the pilots could have just aborted the landing at that point and circled to try again.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026