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Meaning & use

calling off

phrase·Everyday

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UK/ˌkɔːlɪŋ ˈɒf/
US/ˌkɔːlɪŋ ˈɔːf/

“calling off” is a form of “call off”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. phrasephrasal verb

    The act of canceling an event, or the present participle of 'call off', meaning to cancel something.

    Grammar: Used as the -ing form of the phrasal verb 'call off'; the object can go between 'call' and 'off' when it is a pronoun: call it off.

    Patterns

    • calling off something
    • calling something off
    • be calling off the wedding/game/deal

    They are calling off the wedding because of the storm.

    Calling off the match so late upset thousands of fans.

    She kept calling off their dates at the last minute.

  2. phrasephrasal verb

    The act of ordering a person or animal to stop attacking or chasing.

    Grammar: Often used with dogs or guards: you call someone off when you want them to stop.

    Patterns

    • calling off the dogs
    • calling someone off

    The guard was calling off the dogs as we reached the gate.

    Calling off his bodyguard, he walked into the room alone.

Common combinations

call off a strike
The union called off the strike after a new offer.
call off a search
Rescuers called off the search at nightfall.
call off a deal
The two firms called off the deal over price.
call off a wedding
They called off the wedding two days before it.
call off the dogs
He shouted to call off the dogs.

Synonyms and how they differ

cancel
The direct one-word equivalent; it is more neutral and slightly more formal than the phrasal verb.
abort
Used for stopping something already started, especially a mission or process, not for planned social events.
scrap
Informal and often means abandoning a plan permanently, whereas 'call off' can be temporary.

Opposites

go ahead withhold

Word family

call off phrasal verb
To cancel or stop something that was planned.
call-off noun
Chiefly business: a request to supply goods under an existing agreement.

Commonly confused: calling off or call out? calling off or call on?

calling off vs call out

'Call out' means to shout, criticize publicly, or summon someone for help, not to cancel an event.

calling off vs call on

'Call on' means to visit someone or ask them formally to do something.

Practice

The referee decided to ___ the game because of lightning.

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