cancel
Meaning: To decide that an arranged event will not happen; to stop or end something
Cancel means to call off something that was planned, such as a meeting, flight, or subscription. In recent slang, 'cancel culture' refers to publicly rejecting someone (often a celebrity) for controversial actions. Note the British spelling 'cancelled' has two L's, while American uses one ('canceled').
Examples
- The concert was cancelled due to bad weather. 音乐会因天气不好而取消了。El concierto fue cancelado debido al mal tiempo.コンサートは悪天候のため中止になりました。콘서트는 악천후로 인해 취소되었습니다.
- I need to cancel my dentist appointment. 我需要取消牙医预约。Necesito cancelar mi cita con el dentista.歯医者の予約をキャンセルしなければなりません。치과 예약을 취소해야 합니다.
- She cancelled her subscription to the magazine. 她取消了杂志订阅。Ella canceló su suscripción a la revista.彼女は雑誌の定期購読をキャンセルしました。그녀는 잡지 정기 구독을 취소했습니다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Old French 'canceler', from Latin 'cancellare' meaning 'to make like a lattice, cross out', from 'cancelli' (lattice, grating), diminutive of 'cancer' (crossed bars). Cancelled documents were crossed out with lattice-like lines.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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