How to pronounce cancel
Say it like KAN-sul. Cancel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce cancel. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAN
- sul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Cancel pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KANSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- sulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of cancel
American and British speakers say cancel in essentially the same way: /ˈkænsəl/ in the US and /ˈkænsəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: KAN-sul.
What does cancel mean?
- postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled“Call off the engagement”“cancel the dinner party”
- make up for“His skills offset his opponent's superior strength”
- declare null and void; make ineffective“Cancel the election results”“strike down a law”
- a notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
Where does cancel come from?
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 o
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with cancel
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of cancel.
Questions about saying cancel
How do you pronounce cancel?
Say KAN-sul. The American pronunciation is /ˈkænsəl/. In British English it is /ˈkænsəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in cancel?
Cancel has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAN). Broken into parts: KAN · sul.
Do Americans and Brits say cancel the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈkænsəl/ and the British form is /ˈkænsəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.