2 syllables: can, celed. Stress on can.
KAN-suhld
/ˈkænsəld/
canceled is pronounced KAN-suhld (/ˈkænsəld/). It has two syllables (can-celed), with the stress on "can". Canceled is the past participle of cancel, meaning that something planned has been decided or announced not to happen. In practice, it denotes a halt or reversal of a planned event or action, often with notice given. The word is used across formal and informal contexts, and its pronunciation reflects a typical American, British, or Australian pattern affecting final consonants.
Canceled is the past participle of cancel, meaning that something planned has been decided or announced not to happen. In practice, it denotes a halt or reversal of a planned event or action, often with notice given. The word is used across formal and informal contexts, and its pronunciation reflects a typical American, British, or Australian pattern affecting final consonants.
- You might overemphasize the second syllable, turning /ˈkæn.səld/ into /ˈkæns.əld/ or /ˈkæn.zəld/. To fix, practice CAN - səl with a light, quick second syllable and ensure the /s/ in the second syllable is crisp. - Many speakers blur the /l/ before the final /d/, producing /ˈkæn.səd/; keep the /l/ clear, touch the alveolar ridge lightly for /l/, then release to /d/. - Some people insert an extra vowel before /ld/ (like /əl.d/); aim for a single, brief /səld/ sequence and avoid an extra syllable length.
"The flight was canceled due to severe weather."
"They canceled the meeting and rescheduled for next week."
"Her concert was canceled after the sudden illness."
Pronounce as CAN-suhld, with primary stress on CAN. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈkæn.səld/. Start with /k/, then /æ/ as in cat, followed by a light /n/ and a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, finishing with /ld/. Keep the /l/ clear before the /d/—no extra vowel. In fast speech, the second syllable may become a reduced /sə/ or /səl/ depending on speaker and rhythm.
Two frequent errors: (1) Over-voicing the second syllable, making it CAN-suh-ld with a drawn-out /ə/; instead, keep the second syllable light and short: /ˈkæn.səld/. (2) Merging /s/ and /z/ confusion in casual speech; be precise with /s/ in the second syllable. Correct by practicing slow, then natural pace: CAN - səld, maintaining clear /s/ onset before the /ə/. Practice focusing on the contrast between the /æ/ in CAN vs. the reduced /ə/ in the second syllable.
In US/AU contexts, /ˈkæn.səld/ with a clear /æ/ in CAN and a reduced /ə/ in second syllable. UK English might align closely, but British speakers sometimes retain a slightly heavier vowel in the second syllable depending on the speaker. The r-coloring is minimal in non-rhotic Varieties, but rhotic accents or linked speech can influence the flow: CAN-səld in rapid speech. In casual UK speech you may hear /ˈkæn.səld/ with a crisper /l/ before the /d/.
The difficulty lies in achieving a light, quick second syllable after the stressed /kæn/ and coordinating the alveolar /s/ with the /əl/ sequence before /d/. The /æ/ vowel in CAN is short and bright, followed by a weak schwa; many speakers overemphasize the second vowel or blend the /ld/ into a single glide. Stabilize the tip of the tongue for the /l/ and ensure the /d/ is released crisply after the /l/.
A distinctive aspect is the stressed initial syllable followed by a reduced second syllable that often blends into a quick /səld/ sequence. The cluster /ld/ at the end requires the tongue to lightly touch the alveolar ridge for the /l/ and then release to /d/ with a slight air release. This compact final cluster, especially in rapid speech, can lead to elision or a softened /l/.
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- US: emphasize the /æ/ in CAN and keep the second syllable reduced to /sə/; stress stays on the first syllable. - UK: similar pattern, but some speakers may subtly lengthen the second vowel depending on pace; keep the /l/ clear before /d/. - AU: tends toward a similar pattern as US, with slightly more relaxed vowel quality; keep the /æ/ bright and /ə/ minimized.
Canceled derives from cancel, which comes from the Latin cancellare meaning to lattice, lattice-like, or to cross out, from cancelli meaning lattice or grid. The term entered English from Old French canceler, with Latin roots dating to medieval usage associated with striking out or crossing off. The concept of removing or nullifying a plan or right aligns with legal and administrative vocabulary. In English, the form canceled appeared in American usage around the 19th to 20th century, often used in parallel with spelled variants such as cancelled in British English due to different suffix conventions. The shift from Latin underpinnings to modern usage reflects the movement from a concrete act of crossing out to a broader sense of negation or nullification in scheduling and decrees. First known uses appear in legal or ecclesiastical texts that discuss voiding or annulling decrees, with widespread adoption in general English by the late 1800s and early 1900s, paralleling the expansion of formal administrative language. The word’s evolution mirrors changes in spelling conventions across English dialects, with American English favoring -ed simplification and British English often retaining -l-e-d in other related forms, though canceled remains common in both.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "canceled" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "canceled"
-led sounds
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