Word
be cancelled
Definition
fixed phrase. to lose support or be rejected by the public because of something offensive you said or did.
fixed phrase. to be subjected to 'cancel culture'; a social phenomenon where a public figure or organization is collectively boycotted or ostracized following perceived transgressive behavior.
Examples
“The actor was cancelled after his old tweets were found.”
“Many celebrities fear they will be cancelled if they express an unpopular opinion on social media.”
“The debate centered on whether the author should be cancelled for her controversial remarks or if her literary contributions remained valid.”
Examples
simple
“The actor was cancelled after his old tweets were found.”
contextual
“Many celebrities fear they will be cancelled if they express an unpopular opinion on social media.”
complex
“The debate centered on whether the author should be cancelled for her controversial remarks or if her literary contributions remained valid.”
Usage
usually used in the passive voice to describe the social consequences of a public scandal.
Teaching tip
this is a modern, neologistic use of 'cancel'; contrast it with the literal sense of cancelling a meeting or a subscription to show how it applies to people.
Pitfall
He was cancel by the internet.
He was cancelled by the internet.
the phrase requires the past participle 'cancelled' because it functions as a passive construction.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/be-cancelled