cancel

B1 Topic:Mind & Cognition

US /ˈkæn.sl̩/ See IPA manual

verb Freq #3126

Meanings

1

verb
To decide that a planned event will not happen.

They had to cancel the concert because of the storm.
2

verb
To stop an order, agreement, or arrangement so that it no longer applies.

He cancelled his order on their website before it was shipped.
3

verb
To balance out or remove the effect of something.

The two forces are equal and cancel each other out.
4

verb
To mark something, such as a used stamp, so that it cannot be used again.

This machine cancels the stamps on every letter that passes through it.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to decide that a planned... scrub

2 verb · to stop an order,... belay undo invalidate

3 verb · to balance out or remove... offset

More abrogate annul cease desist forbid kill nullify queer repeal repress

Opposites

commission continue initiate renew uphold validate

Word family

Forms canceledcancelingcancelledcancellingcancels

Derived forms autocancelcancel-worthycancelabilitycancelablecancelbotcancelercancellabilitycancellablecancelmentmiscancelnoise-cancelovercancel

Related forms cancellationchancel chancellery chancellor chanceryinvalidation

Common collocations

Etymology

From Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-Norman canceler (“to cross out with lines”) (modern French chanceler (“to stagger, sway”)), from Old French canceler, from Latin cancellō (“to make resemble a lattice”), from cancellus (“a railing or lattice”), diminutive of cancer (“a lattice”).

cancellen Middle English canceler Old French cancellō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Mind & Cognition

# cancel

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ˈkæn.sl̩
**Frequency rank:** 3126

## Meanings
1. To decide that a planned event will not happen.
2. To stop an order, agreement, or arrangement so that it no longer applies.
3. To balance out or remove the effect of something.
4. To mark something, such as a used stamp, so that it cannot be used again.

## Examples
- They had to cancel the concert because of the storm.
- He cancelled his order on their website before it was shipped.
- The two forces are equal and cancel each other out.
- This machine cancels the stamps on every letter that passes through it.

## Synonyms
- abrogate
- annul
- belay
- cease
- desist
- forbid
- invalidate
- kill
- nullify
- queer
- repeal
- repress

## Antonyms
- commission
- continue
- initiate
- renew
- uphold
- validate

## Derived Forms
- autocancel
- cancel-worthy
- cancelability
- cancelable
- cancelbot
- canceler
- cancellability
- cancellable
- cancelment
- miscancel
- noise-cancel
- overcancel

## Related Forms
- cancellation
- chancel
- chancellery
- chancellor
- chancery
- invalidation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: cancellen
- Root: canceler
- Root: cancellō

## Etymology
From Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-Norman canceler (“to cross out with lines”) (modern French chanceler (“to stagger, sway”)), from Old French canceler, from Latin cancellō (“to make resemble a lattice”), from cancellus (“a railing or lattice”), diminutive of cancer (“a lattice”).

## AI Etymology
Cancel comes from Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-Norman canceler (“to cross out with lines”) (modern French chanceler (“to stagger, sway”)), from Old French canceler, from Latin cancellō (“to make resemble a lattice”), from cancellus (“a railing or lattice”), diminutive of cancer (“a lattice”).

## Topics
- Mind & Cognition

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