Postpone vs. Cancel — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on August 26, 2023
Postpone means to delay an event to a later time; cancel means to call off an event completely.
Difference Between Postpone and Cancel
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
To postpone is to delay or reschedule an event for a later time or date. For instance, if a meeting is postponed, it means it will occur, but at a later time than originally planned. Conversely, to cancel means to completely terminate or call off an event, ensuring that it will not happen at all.
Both postpone and cancel are verbs, but they impart different nuances when used. When someone says they've postponed an appointment, they signal an intent to follow through on it later. However, when they mention that they've canceled it, it's clear they won't be attending or participating in the said event any further.
In the world of events, entertainment, or even personal plans, these terms play a crucial role. For instance, a concert that's postponed gives fans hope of attending in the future, while a canceled concert denotes a definite end, with no expectation of it being rescheduled.
Tickets or reservations often reflect these distinctions. A postponed flight may mean travelers will be rebooked for a later departure, retaining their ticket's value. In contrast, a canceled flight may require travelers to seek a refund or a different booking altogether.
In terms of commitment, to postpone suggests a deferment, a "not now, but later" approach. Cancel, on the other hand, denotes finality—a full stop, signifying the end of any commitment to the event or action in question.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
Delay to a later time
Call off completely
Grammatical Use
Verb: "I will postpone the meeting."
Verb: "I will cancel the meeting."
Outcome
Event is expected to occur later
Event will not occur
Commitment
Intent to fulfill later
No intent to fulfill
Relation to Time
Concerned with shifting time
Ends the event without rescheduling
Compare with Definitions
Postpone
To put off to a later time.
We had to postpone the barbecue due to rain.
Cancel
To decide or announce that an event will not take place.
The concert was canceled due to the artist's illness.
Postpone
To defer an action or event.
The release of the film was postponed by a month.
Cancel
To invalidate or annul something.
He had to cancel his flight ticket.
Postpone
To delay or reschedule.
The exam was postponed to next week.
Cancel
To terminate or end.
The network decided to cancel the television show after one season.
Postpone
To adjourn or prorogue an assembly or meeting.
The committee decided to postpone the discussion until all members were present.
Cancel
To offset or counterbalance.
The two opposing forces cancel each other out.
Postpone
To set aside for consideration or action at a later date.
The judge chose to postpone the hearing.
Cancel
To delete or cross out.
Please cancel that sentence; it's not necessary.
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.
Cancel
To neutralize or equalize; offset
Today's decline in stock price canceled out yesterday's gain.
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.
Cancel
To cross out with lines or other markings.
Postpone
Hold back to a later time;
Let's postpone the exam
Cancel
To remove a common factor from both the numerator and denominator of a fraction, or from both sides of an equation.
Postpone
(obsolete) To place after in order; to deem less important.
Cancel
To stop production of a programme.
Postpone
Cause or arrange for (something) to take place at a time later than that first scheduled
The visit had to be postponed for some time
He postponed implementing the scheme until industry and business were consulted
Cancel
To suppress or omit; to strike out, as matter in type.
Postpone
To delay or put off an event, appointment, etc.
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.
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.
Cancel
Of cheques or tickets
Cancel
To annul or invalidate
Cancel a credit card.
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.
Cancel
To mark or perforate (a postage stamp or check, for example) to indicate that it may not be used again.
Cancel
To remove (a common factor) from the numerator and denominator of a fractional expression.
Cancel
To remove (a common factor or term) from both sides of an equation or inequality.
Cancel
To neutralize one another; counterbalance
Two opposing forces that canceled out.
Cancel
The act or an instance of canceling; a cancellation.
Cancel
(transitive) To cross out something with lines etc.
Cancel
(transitive) To invalidate or annul something.
He cancelled his order on their website.
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.
Cancel
(transitive) To offset or equalize something.
The corrective feedback mechanism cancels out the noise.
Cancel
(obsolete) To shut out, as with a railing or with latticework; to exclude.
Cancel
(slang) To kill.
Cancel
To cease to provide financial or moral support to (someone deemed unacceptable). Compare cancel culture.
Cancel
A cancellation (US); (nonstandard in some kinds of English).
Cancel
A control message posted to Usenet that serves to cancel a previously posted message.
Cancel
(obsolete) An enclosure; a boundary; a limit.
Cancel
(printing) The suppression on striking out of matter in type, or of a printed page or pages.
Cancel
(printing) The page thus suppressed.
Cancel
(printing) The page that replaces it.
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.
Cancel
To shut out, as with a railing or with latticework; to exclude.
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.
Cancel
To suppress or omit; to strike out, as matter in type.
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.
Cancel
The suppression or striking out of matter in type, or of a printed page or pages.
Cancel
A notation cancelling a previous sharp or flat
Cancel
Postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled;
Call off the engagement
Cancel the dinner party
Cancel
Make up for;
His skills offset his opponent's superior strength
Cancel
Declare null and void; make ineffective;
Cancel the election results
Strike down a law
Cancel
Remove or make invisible;
Please delete my name from your list
Common Curiosities
Can both postpone and cancel be used as verbs?
Yes, both are verbs. For example, "I will postpone the trip," or "I will cancel the trip."
If an event is canceled, will it be rescheduled?
Not necessarily. A canceled event indicates it won't happen as planned, but it doesn’t guarantee rescheduling.
What does cancel mean?
Cancel means to call off or terminate an event completely.
What does postpone mean?
Postpone means to delay or reschedule an event for a later time or date.
Does postpone mean an event will still happen?
Yes, to postpone means the event is intended to happen but at a later date.
In terms of tickets, what happens if an event is postponed?
Typically, if an event is postponed, tickets remain valid for the rescheduled date.
And if an event is canceled?
If an event is canceled, ticket holders often receive a refund or have to seek alternative arrangements.
Can cancel mean to offset or negate?
Yes, cancel can mean to offset or counterbalance, especially in terms like "cancel out."
Does postponing mean there's a lack of commitment?
Not necessarily. Postponing can simply mean there's a need for a delay, but there's still an intent to fulfill the commitment later.
Is canceling always final?
Generally, canceling indicates finality, but context matters. In some cases, something can be canceled and later reinstated.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
