annuler

The everyday verb for cancelling — a reservation, an appointment, a trip, an order. Also used reflexively/passively for two things cancelling each other out (les deux effets s'annulent).

• J'ai dû annuler mon rendez-vous chez le dentiste. — I had to cancel my dentist appointment.
• Le vol a été annulé à cause de la neige. — The flight was canceled because of the snow.
• Ses deux erreurs se sont annulées. — His two mistakes cancelled each other out.

Learners sometimes reach for supprimer for cancelling an appointment, but annuler is the standard verb for calling off something planned — supprimer implies deleting or removing something entirely, not calling off an event.

Often confused with supprimer.

• expression Culture de l'annulation — The standard French translation for 'cancel culture,' widely used in French media discussing the American-originated phenomenon of public boycotts over past statements or actions.