cancelled
- 01 A2 Elementary
describes an event or plan that is not going to take place.
denoting a scheduled event, appointment, or project that has been officially terminated or retracted.
Simple“I went to the theater, but a sign on the door said the show was cancelled.”
In context“The project remained in a cancelled state for months before the board decided to reallocate the remaining budget to other departments.”
UsageOften used as a predicative adjective after the verb 'to be'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
describes a famous person who has lost their job or popularity because they said or did something offensive.
referring to a person or entity subjected to 'cancel culture', involving widespread social rejection and the withdrawal of support.
Simple“The actor was cancelled by fans after his old, offensive comments were found online.”
In context“Public figures often fear being cancelled over a single misunderstood statement, leading to a significant shift in how they manage their social media presence.”
Teacher's tipThis is a modern usage related to 'cancel culture'; it is common in social media and news but may be seen as too informal for academic writing.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
describes a stamp or ticket that has been marked so it cannot be used again.
pertaining to a postage stamp or official document that has been defaced or marked to prevent reuse.
Simple“The collector was looking for rare stamps that had not been cancelled.”
In context“The clerk ensured each voucher was properly cancelled with a heavy ink stamp to prevent any fraudulent attempts at double-redemption.”
cancelled vs canceled — British English doubles the final 'l' when adding suffixes to this verb, while American English uses a single 'l'.