# be cancelled

CEFR B2 · Fixed phrase

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/be-cancelled
Updated: 2026-07-26

## Definition

to lose support or be rejected by the public because of something offensive you said or did.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He was cancel by the internet." but "He was cancelled by the internet." — the phrase requires the past participle 'cancelled' because it functions as a passive construction.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.