"cancel" vs "cancelled"

Question

"cancel" vs "cancelled"

Both 'cancelled' and 'cancel' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Cancelled' is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'cancel,' while 'cancel' is the base form of the verb. 'Cancelled' is used when referring to an action that has already taken place, while 'cancel' is used when talking about the present or future actions.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

Use 'cancel' when talking about present or future actions. For example, 'I will cancel my appointment if I can't make it.'

Examples:

I need to cancel my reservation.
Please cancel the meeting for tomorrow.
He decided to cancel the project.
If you change your mind, you can cancel the order.
The company may cancel the event due to low attendance.

Alternatives:

call off
abort
revoke
annul
nullify

Use 'cancelled' when referring to an action that has already taken place. For example, 'The event was cancelled due to bad weather.'

Examples:

The flight was cancelled due to technical issues.
She cancelled her subscription to the magazine.
The concert was cancelled at the last minute.
The meeting has been cancelled.
They have cancelled the order.

Alternatives:

called off
scrapped
abandoned
terminated
nixed

Answer 1

cancel

This is the base form of the verb 'cancel.'

Answer 2

cancelled

This is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'cancel.'

"cancel" vs "cancelled"

cancel

cancelled

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