call off

verb

1. to cancel or abandon

   the game was called off because of rain

2. to order (an animal or person) to desist or summon away

   the man called off his dog

3. to stop (something) or give the order to stop

Idioms and Phrases

Summon away, restrain, as in Please call off your dog . [Early 1600s]

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

But Orban's carefully laid plans began to unravel on 21 October, when the White House announced that the summit had been called off.

Read more on BBC

In response, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that he would call off the campaign, effective Monday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The president called off a planned ‘surge’ of federal forces to San Francisco, but East Bay officials said they were still preparing for immigration action.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The announcement came only a day after Israeli police called off the Israeli Premier League match between Maccabi and city rivals Hapoel because of "riots" between rival fans.

Read more on Barron's

Construction workers were called off the site for two weeks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal