# cancelled

/ˈkænsəɫd/ (US) · /kˈænsəld/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cancelled
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. no longer happening

adjective · CEFR A2

describes an event or plan that is not going to take place.

For teachers: denoting a scheduled event, appointment, or project that has been officially terminated or retracted.

- I went to the theater, but a sign on the door said the show was cancelled.
- The project remained in a cancelled state for months before the board decided to reallocate the remaining budget to other departments.

Usage: Often used as a predicative adjective after the verb 'to be'.

### 3. socially rejected

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

describes a famous person who has lost their job or popularity because they said or did something offensive.

For teachers: referring to a person or entity subjected to 'cancel culture', involving widespread social rejection and the withdrawal of support.

- The actor was cancelled by fans after his old, offensive comments were found online.
- Public figures often fear being cancelled over a single misunderstood statement, leading to a significant shift in how they manage their social media presence.

Teaching tip: This 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.

### 4. marked as used

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describes a stamp or ticket that has been marked so it cannot be used again.

For teachers: pertaining to a postage stamp or official document that has been defaced or marked to prevent reuse.

- The collector was looking for rare stamps that had not been cancelled.
- The clerk ensured each voucher was properly cancelled with a heavy ink stamp to prevent any fraudulent attempts at double-redemption.

## Examples

- The school cancelled the football match because of the rain.
- The airline cancelled our flight at the last minute, leaving us stranded at the airport for several hours.
- The committee eventually cancelled the project after concluding that the projected costs far outweighed any potential long-term benefits to the local community.

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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.