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
Following this logic, STAAR developers use practices like omitting easier questions and adjusting scores to cancel out gains due to better teaching.
—
Jeanne Sinclair, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
There is no promise of significant economic growth to compensate, since the bill’s purpose is largely to keep current tax policy, not cut further, and the administration’s tariff policies are expected to cancel out the modest growth effects of the tax bill.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 May 2025
And not to mention the scent, which completely canceled out the plastic-like aroma that often accompanies kanekalon hair.
—Akili King, Essence, 13 May 2025
In 2021, production at such companies dropped by nearly $3.5 billion because of the tariffs, canceling out the $2.3 billion uptick in production that year by aluminum producers and steelmakers, the U.S. International Trade Commission found in 2023.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2025
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Jeanne Sinclair, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
There is no promise of significant economic growth to compensate, since the bill’s purpose is largely to keep current tax policy, not cut further, and the administration’s tariff policies are expected to cancel out the modest growth effects of the tax bill.
—The Editors, National Review, 23 May 2025
And not to mention the scent, which completely canceled out the plastic-like aroma that often accompanies kanekalon hair.
—Akili King, Essence, 13 May 2025
In 2021, production at such companies dropped by nearly $3.5 billion because of the tariffs, canceling out the $2.3 billion uptick in production that year by aluminum producers and steelmakers, the U.S. International Trade Commission found in 2023.
—Alix Martichoux, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cancel out
Cite this Entry
“Cancel out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cancel%20out. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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