Call off
Meaning
Cancel or decide not to do an event or arrangement that was planned.
similar Cancel & abandon are similar.
Why off?
Off is used in many phrasal verbs with the idea of ending something. Something is finished or is gradually coming to an end. In the case of calling something off, someone stops an event or puts an end to it.
Check out more phrasal verbs with the same preposition logic in Logic > off.
Collocations
So, what words go together with call off?
call off
match
game
strike
wedding
protest
search
chase
ceremony
talks
meeting
engagement
alert
event
party
Examples
| We've had to call off the meeting. |
| The meeting was called off because of bad weather. |
| It is a disappointment the game was called off. |
| With snow falling steadily, the game was called off hours before the start. |
| The match was called off within 20 minutes. |
| The decision to call off the match was announced at a press conference. |
| It may be best to call off the engagement. |
| Authorities have called off the search for the missing woman. |
| They were forced to call off the ceremony. |
| Due to unforeseen circumstances the event has been called off. |
| Sadly, we have decided to call off the wedding. |
| Students say they will call off the protest only if the government accepts their demands. |
| The police called off the chase because it was getting too dangerous. |
| The alert was called off after the girl was found. |
| The Nurses Association voted to call off the strike. |
| I heard on the radio that they've called off the strike. |
| They called the whole thing off at the last minute. |
| The unions have agreed to the pay deal and have called off industrial action. |
| They're threatening to call off the talks. |
Grammar
separable You can separate this phrasal verb in this context. It takes an object. Someone calls off something or someone calls something off.
| They called off the match. |
| They called the match off. |
| They called it off. |