Postpone vs. Cancel: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Postpone" means to delay an event to a later time, while "Cancel" means to completely call off an event with no rescheduling.
Key Differences
"Postpone" implies delaying or deferring an event to a future date or time, suggesting a temporary shift. "Cancel" denotes the act of completely abolishing or calling off an event, implying it won't occur as planned.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
When you postpone something, it is expected to happen at a later date. In contrast, canceling something means it is annulled and not expected to take place in the foreseeable future.
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Nov 23, 2023
Postponing can often be seen as a temporary solution, whereas canceling is a more definitive and final action. This distinction is crucial in planning and communication.
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Nov 23, 2023
In a business context, postponing a meeting suggests it will be rescheduled, while canceling it implies it won’t be held at all. This difference impacts how participants prepare and respond.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
In terms of commitments, postponing is often viewed as a rescheduling effort, while canceling can signify a change of plans or priorities, often with no intention to revisit.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
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Comparison Chart
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Postpone and Cancel Definitions
Postpone
Defer an action or decision.
The manager chose to postpone the decision until more information was available.
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Nov 21, 2023
Postpone
Delay an event to a later time.
They decided to postpone the wedding due to the weather.
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Nov 21, 2023
Cancel
Eliminate from consideration.
The idea was canceled after much debate.
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Nov 21, 2023
Postpone
Put off something to a future time.
She had to postpone her trip to Paris.
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Nov 21, 2023
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Postpone
Hold back to a later time.
He postponed his plans to start a new business.
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Nov 21, 2023
Cancel
To decide or announce that (a planned or scheduled event) will not take place, especially with no intention of holding it at a later time
Cancel a picnic.
Cancel a soccer game.
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Oct 19, 2023
Postpone
Reschedule for a later date.
The conference was postponed to next month.
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Nov 21, 2023
Postpone
To cause or arrange for (an event) to take place at a time later than the time at which it was originally supposed to happen.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To mark or perforate (a postage stamp or check, for example) to indicate that it may not be used again.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To neutralize or equalize; offset
Today's decline in stock price canceled out yesterday's gain.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To remove (a common factor) from the numerator and denominator of a fractional expression.
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Oct 19, 2023
Postpone
To defer to a future or later time; to put off; also, to cause to be deferred or put off; to delay; to adjourn; as, to postpone the consideration of a bill to the following day, or indefinitely.
His praise postponed, and never to be paid.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To remove (a common factor or term) from both sides of an equation or inequality.
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Oct 19, 2023
Postpone
To place after, behind, or below something, in respect to precedence, preference, value, or importance.
All other considerations should give way and be postponed to this.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To neutralize one another; counterbalance
Two opposing forces that canceled out.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
(transitive) To invalidate or annul something.
He cancelled his order on their website.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
(transitive) To mark something (such as a used postage stamp) so that it can't be reused.
This machine cancels the letters that have a valid zip code.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
(transitive) To offset or equalize something.
The corrective feedback mechanism cancels out the noise.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To remove a common factor from both the numerator and denominator of a fraction, or from both sides of an equation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
(obsolete) To shut out, as with a railing or with latticework; to exclude.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To cease to provide financial or moral support to (someone deemed unacceptable). Compare cancel culture.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
A control message posted to Usenet that serves to cancel a previously posted message.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
(printing) The suppression on striking out of matter in type, or of a printed page or pages.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To inclose or surround, as with a railing, or with latticework.
A little obscure place canceled in with iron work is the pillar or stump at which . . . our Savior was scourged.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To cross and deface, as the lines of a writing, or as a word or figure; to mark out by a cross line; to blot out or obliterate.
A deed may be avoided by delivering it up to be cancelled; that is, to have lines drawn over it in the form of latticework or cancelli; though the phrase is now used figuratively for any manner of obliterating or defacing it.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
To annul or destroy; to revoke or recall.
The indentures were canceled.
He was unwilling to cancel the interest created through former secret services, by being refractory on this occasion.
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
An inclosure; a boundary; a limit.
A prison is but a retirement, and opportunity of serious thoughts, to a person whose spirit . . . desires no enlargement beyond the cancels of the body.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
The suppression or striking out of matter in type, or of a printed page or pages.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
Postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled;
Call off the engagement
Cancel the dinner party
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
Declare null and void; make ineffective;
Cancel the election results
Strike down a law
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Oct 19, 2023
Cancel
Call off an event or agreement.
The concert was canceled due to the singer’s illness.
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Nov 21, 2023
Cancel
Invalidate or revoke.
The airline canceled all flights due to the storm.
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Nov 21, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is the meaning of "cancel"?
"Cancel" means to call off an event or action, making it no longer happen.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Can a postponed event still happen?
Yes, postponing an event implies it is rescheduled for a future date.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "cancel" refer to stopping services or subscriptions?
Yes, "cancel" can mean stopping or ending services, subscriptions, or agreements.
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Nov 23, 2023
Are postponed events always rescheduled?
Not always. While postponement implies intent to reschedule, it’s not guaranteed.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "postpone" always temporary?
Generally, yes. "Postpone" implies a delay with the intention of eventually proceeding.
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Nov 23, 2023
Does canceling an event imply it might be rescheduled?
No, canceling usually means the event will not take place at all.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "cancel" imply disapproval or rejection?
In certain contexts, like social media, "cancel" can imply disapproval or boycotting.
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Nov 23, 2023
What does "postpone" mean?
"Postpone" means to delay an event or action to a later time.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can a cancellation be reversed?
Typically, once something is canceled, it's final, though exceptions can occur depending on the context.
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Nov 23, 2023
Can "postpone" refer to delaying decisions?
Yes, it can be used for delaying decisions, actions, or events.
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Nov 23, 2023
Does "cancel" have a negative connotation?
It can, especially if it involves the abrupt ending of anticipated events or services.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "cancel" used in technology, like canceling a process?
Yes, in technology, "cancel" often refers to stopping a process or operation.
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Nov 23, 2023
Does postponing require a new date?
Ideally, a new date is given, but sometimes the delay is indefinite.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "postpone" more common in formal contexts?
Yes, it’s frequently used in formal or official communications.
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Nov 23, 2023
Is "postpone" used in legal contexts?
Yes, it's often used in legal contexts, like postponing a court hearing.
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Nov 23, 2023
Does "postpone" imply a reason for the delay?
Often, but not always. The reason might be specified or implied.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Can "cancel" apply to debts or obligations?
Yes, it can mean to nullify or void debts, obligations, or agreements.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Can "cancel" be a positive action?
In some cases, like canceling a debt, it can be positive.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Are "postpone" and "reschedule" synonymous?
They are similar, but "reschedule" more explicitly involves setting a new date.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
Does "cancel culture" relate to the literal meaning of "cancel"?
It extends the meaning, referring to boycotting or shunning individuals or entities for their actions or statements.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 23, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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