call off
Britishverb
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to cancel or abandon
the game was called off because of rain
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to order (an animal or person) to desist or summon away
the man called off his dog
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to stop (something) or give the order to stop
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Summon away, restrain, as in Please call off your dog . [Early 1600s]
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Cancel some plan or undertaking, as in She decided to call off their engagement , or In case of rain the picnic will be called off . [Late 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ahead of the action, easyJet urged staff to call off the strike on such a busy weekend.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
"We have decided to call off all games on August 5-6 until comprehensive safety measures are established," the KBO said in a statement, citing risks to players and fans as extreme temperatures persist.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Protest leaders said they would call off demonstrations after the government agreed to compensate families of students who took their lives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
"I'm praying that he will call off his hunger strike. He can fight for our children only when he's strong," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
“Wouldn’t it be...forgive me...more prudent to call off this battle, enter the castle, and seek him y-yourself?”
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
