cancel

/ˈkæn.sl̩/

//ˈkæn.sl̩// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"cancel" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“cancel” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,300 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#5,300
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
19
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To cross out something with lines etc.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

cancel vs cane
67% similar
cancel vs canoe
67% similar
cancel vs canes
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for cancel
PropertyValue
Headwordcancel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkæn.sl̩/
Letters6
Frequency rank#5,300
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs19
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cancel” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). cancel lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for cancel is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkæn.sl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,300 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for cancel, with forms such as "acncel", "cacnel", and "canccel". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 19 confusable-pair relationships, "cane", "canoe", "canes", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-Norman canceler (“to cross out with lines”) (modern French chanceler (“to stagger, sway”)), from Old French canceler, from Latin cancellō (“to make resemble a lattice”), from cancellus (“a railing or lattice”), dimi… The correct English form is cancel, spelled C-A-N-C-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cross out something with lines etc.
  2. 2
    To invalidate or annul something.
  3. 3
    To mark something (such as a used postage stamp) so that it can't be reused.
  4. 4
    To offset or equalize something.
  5. 5
    To remove a common factor from both the numerator and denominator of a fraction, or from both sides of an equation.
  6. 6
    To stop production of a programme.
  7. 7
    To suppress or omit; to strike out, as matter in type.
  8. 8
    To shut out, as with a railing or with latticework; to exclude.
  9. 9
    To kill.
  10. 10
    To cease to provide financial or moral support to (someone deemed unacceptable); to disinvite. Compare cancel culture.

Etymology

From Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-Norman canceler (“to cross out with lines”) (modern French chanceler (“to stagger, sway”)), from Old French canceler, from Latin cancellō (“to make resemble a lattice”), from cancellus (“a railing or lattice”), diminutive of cancer (“a lattice”).

Synonyms

abrogateannulbelaycancelceasecross outdesistforbidinvalidatekillnullifyqueerrepealrepressrevokestopstrike outsuppressterminatevetovitiatevoid

Antonyms

commissioncontinueinitiaterenewupholdvalidate

This word in other languages

tachar(Español)annuler(Français)durchstreichen(Deutsch)riscar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acncel,cacnel,canccel,cancell,cancle,canecl,canncel,ccancel,cnacel

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cancel - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

acncel2cacnel2canccel1cancell1cancle2canecl2canncel1ccancel1
Edit distance from "cancel"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cancel"?
"cancel" is spelled C-A-N-C-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkæn.sl̩/.
What does "cancel" mean?
As a verb, "cancel" means: To cross out something with lines etc.
What words are commonly confused with "cancel"?
"cancel" is commonly confused with "cane", "canoe", "canes". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "cancel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cancel" is /ˈkæn.sl̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "cancel"?
From Middle English cancellen, from Anglo-Norman canceler (“to cross out with lines”) (modern French chanceler (“to stagger, sway”)), from Old French canceler, from Latin cancellō (“to make resemble a lattice”), from cancellus (“a railing or latti... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cancel”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-A-N-C-E-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkæn.sl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cane” - see the side-by-side comparison. cancel vs cane
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list