call off

What it means

To cancel a planned event, meeting, or activity, often because of a problem like bad weather or illness. It can also mean to stop something already in progress, such as a search or a strike.

Examples

• They had to call off the picnic because of the heavy rain yesterday.
• The teacher called off the test after half the class got sick.
• Rescue workers called off the search when it became too dangerous to continue.
• We were going to get married, but she called off the wedding last week.

Where it comes from

Separable: 'call off the meeting' or 'call the meeting off'. The image is of a leader 'calling' people away from an activity that was about to happen.

Related phrasal verbs