This time of year, the words postpone and cancel are tossed around like they are synonyms when in fact they are two completely different words with two completely different meanings.

While both are verbs, they mean two completely different things.  Don’t make the mistake and announce a game as being canceled when in fact it was just postponed.

Dictionary.com defines postpone as “to put off to a later time; defer:”.  Such that, “today’s game has been postponed.”

The site then defines cancel as “to decide or announce that a planned event will not take place; call off:“.  Such as, “the chaperone canceled the bus to today’s baseball game because it was rained out.”

Do you see the difference?

If not, here is another example, and one that can come up more frequently in the second half of the baseball season, “Today’s game is being postponed until August 17.  Tomorrow’s game will be canceled because the two teams aren’t scheduled to play each other again this season.”

The next time you’re put into a position in which you will be announcing that today’s game won’t be played or completed, know which verb to use when describing the game itself.  Will it be postponed until another date, or canceled altogether.