cancel out

English

Verb

cancel out (third-person singular simple present cancels out, present participle (US) canceling out or (UK) cancelling out, simple past and past participle (US) canceled out or (UK) cancelled out)

1. (transitive) To neutralize the effect of.

   We can cancel the aberration out by adding another filter.

   • 1960 March, “Talking of Trains: The problem of the peak”, in Trains Illustrated, page 130:

     […] there is every likelihood that the current pattern of increase would eventually cancel out each expensive improvement, as has happened with the ten-car scheme.

   • 2011 January 29, Ian Hughes, “Southampton 1 - 2 Man Utd”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     The lead was cancelled out when Owen nodded in from close range.

2. (intransitive) Of two or more things: to neutralize each other's effect.

   Love and hate cancel out.

Synonyms

• nullify

Coordinate terms

• counter (verb)
• counteract
• counterbalance
• countervail
• negate

Translations

to neutralize the effect of

• Italian: escludersi
• Polish: znosić się wzajemnie impf, znieść się wzajemnie pf
• Portuguese: anular (pt)

Anagrams

• lactucone