cancel out

Idioms  

1. Neutralize the effect of, offset, render void. For example, Anne's kindness to her neighbor could not cancel out her irritability. The verb cancel was used in this way by itself from the late 1400s; out was added in the early 1900s.

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Example Sentences

I’m not sure one sweet girl cancels out two wild boys, but arguing seems pointless.

From Literature

The good stuff seemed to cancel out the hating part, but he wasn’t sure because feelings were not math.

From Literature

It can also cancel out disturbances that affect all of the atoms in the same way.

From Science Daily

Some national day celebrations on Monday have been cancelled out of safety concerns.

From BBC

Traders who bet that winter was over and that gas prices would fall have had to buy futures this week to cancel out those short positions, adding to this week’s price gains.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• annihilate
• belie
• disallow
• disprove
• invalidate
• neutralize
• nullify
• rebut
• reverse
• undo
• vitiate
• void