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
But the reports did little to spell out whether the economy is falling toward a recession, as many investors had been fearing, or shaking off the uncertainty after Trump called off many of his tariffs temporarily.
—
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Panic also spread during an evening cricket match in northern Dharamsala city, where a crowd of more than 10,000 people had to be evacuated from the stadium and the game called off, according to an Associated Press photographer covering the event.
—Rajesh Roy, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Last August, the singer-songwriter abruptly called off all her remaining shows for the year, including festival appearances and dates opening for Olivia Rodrigo and Coldplay.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2025
The last time Smith was about to be executed was in 2022, when the execution was called off just an hour before it was scheduled.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Panic also spread during an evening cricket match in northern Dharamsala city, where a crowd of more than 10,000 people had to be evacuated from the stadium and the game called off, according to an Associated Press photographer covering the event.
—Rajesh Roy, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Last August, the singer-songwriter abruptly called off all her remaining shows for the year, including festival appearances and dates opening for Olivia Rodrigo and Coldplay.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 May 2025
The last time Smith was about to be executed was in 2022, when the execution was called off just an hour before it was scheduled.
—Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for call off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call off
Verb
-
Growth must reinforce strategy, not distract from it.—
Ayo Adepoju,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
-
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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Musk has faced fierce backlash over his drastic cuts to the government's budget, including canceling thousands of federal jobs, and the dismantling of entire agencies.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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The news came just days after the Trump administration canceled funding for Moderna to develop a vaccine against potential pandemic flu viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu, despite promising early study results.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2025
Verb
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However, some flights from Catania have been diverted to Palermo, according to Flight Radar Data.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
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All southbound Interstate 5 traffic was diverted off the freeway onto Camino de la Plaza, creating a detour on San Ysidro streets, Caltrans said on the social media platform X shortly before noon.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 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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The 38-year-old threw off the bullpen mound at Dodger Stadium on Monday, his first session since landing on the injured list.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
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In a person infected with COVID, the balance is thrown off and the production of those molecules is disrupted, which research shows can lead to blood clots or other blood disorders.—
Jackie Fortiér,
NPR,
30 May 2025
Verb
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To save costs, modifications recommended for the Electra after the Hawaii crash—stronger radios, better direction-finding gear, upgrades to the emergency equipment—were scaled back or scrapped.—
Laurie Gwen Shapiro,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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That drop was scrapped, but the Air Force 1 Low is now slated to release in the fall.—
Ian Servantes for Footwear News,
Robb Report,
1 June 2025
Verb
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The stage is now set for the NFLPA’s Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline (CARD) to suspend France, or perhaps revoke his agent certification entirely.—
Chris Deubert,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Trump has issued a presidential memorandum revoking the security clearances of lawyers at the firm Covington & Burlington who were part of Smith’s cases against Trump.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
30 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 9 Jun. 2025.
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