Is It Cancelled or Canceled? | Spelling & Examples
Cancelled and canceled are both correct spellings of the past tense of the verb “to cancel,” which means “revoke,” “annul,” or “neutralize.” The spelling depends on the variant of English you use:
- In British English, “cancelled” with a double "l" is most common.
- In American English, “canceled” with one "l" is the standard.
Examples: Cancelled or canceled in a sentence
My membership was cancelled/canceled automatically.
The seasonal variations in revenue cancelled/canceled each other out.
Do you know that influencer who got cancelled/canceled after shouting at her kid?
My membership was cancelled/canceled automatically.
The seasonal variations in revenue cancelled/canceled each other out.
Do you know that influencer who got cancelled/canceled after shouting at her kid?
The difference in spelling is also true for similar verbs, such as labelled or labeled, levelled or leveled, and travelled or traveled.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Other forms of cancel
The spelling difference also applies to the present participle or gerund cancelling or canceling.
- In British English, “cancelling” with a double "l" is most common.
- In American English, “canceling” with one "l" is standard.
Examples: Cancelling or canceling in a sentence
I'm cancelling/canceling my gym membership because I never use it.
Cancelling/Canceling a date at the last minute is not very polite.
Did you know Adele is cancelling/canceling her concert?
I'm cancelling/canceling my gym membership because I never use it.
Cancelling/Canceling a date at the last minute is not very polite.
Did you know Adele is cancelling/canceling her concert?
The difference does not apply to the same extent for the related noun cancellation or cancelation. Even though cancelation (with one “l”) is occasionally used in American English, it’s not the standard in either US or British English. Instead, use the noun cancellation (or the plural noun cancellations), which means “the instance or act of cancelling something."
Examples: Cancellation in a sentence
Did you receive a cancellation email?
There are no cancellations for our wedding.
We could be seated in the restaurant due to a cancellation.
Did you receive a cancellation email?
There are no cancellations for our wedding.
We could be seated in the restaurant due to a cancellation.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Five important differences are:
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Frequently asked questions about cancelled or canceled
Is it cancelled or canceled in AP style?
Cancelled and canceled are two correct spellings of the past tense verb “to cancel.” However, AP style advises to use canceled, with one “l”, because this is common in American English.
It's important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
What’s the difference between cancelled and canceled?
There’s no difference in meaning between cancelled and canceled; they’re just two different spellings of the same word, the past tense of the verb “cancel.”
Cancelled (double “l”) is the standard spelling in British English, canceled (single “l”) in American English.
Make sure to pick the spelling appropriate to the context you’re writing in and stick to it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.