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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of call off
Search teams began looking for Shelton on Sunday morning, but called off the investigation Monday after law enforcement began investigating it as a killing.
—
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2025
The hunt in 2015 was supposed to last a week but was called off after just two days and 298 dead bears.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2025
Expecting parents don’t have the option to delay that purchase until Trump blinks and calls off his trade war.
—Lindsay Owens, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
The annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Pilsen was called off this year after nearly half of the parade sponsors dropped out, organizers said.
—Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 14 May 2025
The hunt in 2015 was supposed to last a week but was called off after just two days and 298 dead bears.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2025
Expecting parents don’t have the option to delay that purchase until Trump blinks and calls off his trade war.
—Lindsay Owens, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
The annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Pilsen was called off this year after nearly half of the parade sponsors dropped out, organizers said.
—Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off
Verb
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Growth must reinforce strategy, not distract from it.—
Ayo Adepoju,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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But when the pair get to a higher point in order to try to see where the Wolves are/where Tommy might be, Ellie is distracted by a nearby aquarium, which has a giant ferris wheel nearby.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
25 May 2025
Verb
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But this sort of work would require close collaboration with Chinese researchers, at just the time when those collaborations are being scrutinized or canceled.—
Daniel Engber,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2025
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Intisar proposed cancelling the hospital visit, fearing that they might be targeted for violence by the warring groups, each of which was led by Arabs.—
Nicolas Niarchos,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Verb
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External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2025
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The westbound lanes on I-88 near Route 53 in DuPage County have now reopened after a fatal crash near Lisle had shut down the lanes and diverted traffic to other routes, Illinois State Police said.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Elder Scrolls Online, like any other MMO, is the type of game many players spend hundreds of even thousands of hours playing over the course of several years, so asking them to abandon an account with that type of legacy just to play with someone on another platform is a very big ask.—
David Jagneaux,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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How private resorts are changing travel Final boarding call for free bags at Southwest as airline abandons a cherished perk Travel Troubeshooter: Denied boarding on my flight home.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Strider has been out three weeks since straining his right hamstring, but kept his arm in shape initially throwing off a knee while the leg healed.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
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Linda is thrown off the cliff (a scene that is both grotesque and endlessly ridiculous).—
Hannah Madlener,
Glamour,
2 May 2025
Verb
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But that idea gets scrapped not long after it’s introduced.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
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Aspinall took that fight on short notice when the original main event for that card, Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for Jones's heavyweight title was scrapped following an injury to Jones.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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The Administration sought to revoke the immigration status of thousands of international students in April.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
20 May 2025
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But weeks into Trump’s second term, Noem revoked the TPS extension for a large group of Venezuelans, effective April 7.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2025
Verb
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The loss of contact resulted in two commercial jets abruptly aborting landings to prevent a potential collision, the outlet reports.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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McIntosh's announcement comes just after the U.S. Army temporarily halted helicopter flight operations near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after two commercial aircraft were forced to abort landings due to the presence of an Army Black Hawk helicopter en route to the Pentagon.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Call off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20off. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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