Bring up (a topic/child)

[1350] Call off (an event)

🎲 Cut back on (spending/sugar)
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • To cancel a planned event, such as a meeting, party, game, or wedding.

Origin

  • Emerged in the mid-19th century.
  • Call can mean to command or summon.
  • Off signifies stopping or cessation (as in 'turn off', 'switch off').
  • The original sense might relate to 'calling' hounds 'off' a hunt, telling them to stop. This extended to telling people to stop or cancel a planned activity.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Cancel
  • Scrap (Informal)
  • Abort (Often for missions or technical processes)
  • Postpone (Different meaning: delay, not cancel)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Nix (To cancel or forbid)
  • Scrub (Often used for missions, launches, plans)
  • Can (Informal: They canned the project)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

  • (Expressing anger/frustration about cancellation): They fucking called off the concert an hour before!

Milder/Standard:

  • Annul (Formal, often for marriages or contracts)
  • Rescind (Formal, withdraw an offer or decision)

Situational Appropriateness

  • Very common in informal and semi-formal contexts for any planned event.
  • Cancel is equally common and perhaps slightly more neutral or formal.
  • Call off is standard everyday English.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Generally straightforward. Ensure distinction from call on (to visit or ask someone to speak), call up (telephone someone or summon for military service), call out (challenge someone or draw attention to something negative).

Examples

  • They had to call off the picnic because of the rain.
  • The wedding was called off at the last minute.
  • Let's call off the search; it's getting too dark.
  • The strike was called off after an agreement was reached.

Dialogue

Employee 1: Did you hear? They called off the company barbecue.

Employee 2: No! Why?

Employee 1: The weather forecast is terrible – thunderstorms all afternoon.

Employee 2: Ah, that's too bad. I was looking forward to it. Did they say if they'll reschedule?

Employee 1: Not yet, but they might call it off permanently for this year.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Bad news folks, due to technical issues, tonight's live stream has to be called off. So sorry! We'll reschedule soon. #apologies #technicaldifficulties
  • Facebook Event Update: EVENT CALLED OFF: Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the park cleanup scheduled for this Saturday is called off. We apologize for any inconvenience.
  • News Headline Snippet: Union calls off strike after reaching tentative deal.

Response Patterns

  • Disappointment/Surprise: Oh no, really?, That's a shame!, Why was it called off?
  • Understanding/Acceptance: Okay, thanks for letting me know., That makes sense, given the circumstances.
  • Relief (if the event was undesirable): Oh, good!, Phew, I didn't want to go anyway.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After an event is called off:

  • Ask for the reason (Why did they call it off?).
  • Inquire about rescheduling (Will it be rescheduled?).
  • Inform other people who were planning to attend.
  • Discuss alternative plans.

Conversation Starter

  • No. Used to relay information about a planned event being cancelled.

Intonation

  • Stress falls on call, off, and the event being cancelled.
  • They CALLED OFF the GAME.
  • Usually sounds factual, possibly with regret or disappointment.

Generation Differences

  • Universally used and understood.

Regional Variations

  • Standard and common in all major English-speaking regions.
Bring up (a topic/child)
🎲 Cut back on (spending/sugar)