Published on 10 August 2022 by Eoghan Ryan. Revised on 16 November 2022.
Cancelled and canceled are two different spellings of the past tense of the verb ‘cancel’, which means ‘annul’, ‘revoke,” or ‘match in force or outcome’. The spelling tends to vary based on the version of English:
- In UK English, ‘cancelled’ (double ‘l’) is standard.
- In US English, ‘canceled’ (one ‘l’) is more common.
My vote cancelled/canceledout Dave’s.
Farrah cancelled/canceledthe reservation at the restaurant because of a family emergency.
I cancelled/canceledthe hotel booking too late and lost my deposit.
Table of contents
- ‘Cancelling’ or ‘canceling’
- ‘Cancelation’ or ‘cancellation’
- Other interesting language articles
‘Cancelling’ or ‘canceling’
The same distinction applies to the ‘-ing’ forms of the verb.
- In UK English, ‘cancelling’ (double ‘l’) is always used.
- InUS English, both ‘canceling’ and ‘cancelling’ can be used depending on your preference, but ‘canceling’ is the more common spelling.
Kelly tried to check in online but ended up accidentally cancelling/cancelingher booking.
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‘Cancelation’ or ‘cancellation’
Cancellation (double ‘l’) is a noun used to refer to an act or instance of canceling something. This is the standard spelling in both UK and US English. While ‘cancelation’ (one ‘l’) occurs occasionally in US English, it’s rare and best avoided.
We got a late reservation at the restaurant due to a cancellation.
Other interesting language articles
If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
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Ryan, E. (2022, November 16). Cancelled or Canceled | Difference & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/uk-vs-us/canceled-or-cancelled/
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Eoghan Ryan
Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.
