The word is correctly spelled both ways: “cancelled” and “canceled.” According to Merriam-Webster, this is one of the rare cases in English where two spellings are equally accepted — the difference comes down to regional convention, not correctness. Which one is “right” depends entirely on which variety of English you’re writing in.
British vs. American English
“Cancelled” (two L’s) is the standard spelling in British English, Australian English, Canadian English, and most varieties of English used outside the United States. “Canceled” (one L) is the preferred spelling in American English. Neither version is a typo — both pass spell check when the language setting matches the right region, and both are understood by readers everywhere.
Where the Difference Comes From
The split traces back to spelling reforms in the early 1800s. American lexicographer Noah Webster deliberately simplified a number of British spellings to make American English more phonetic and distinct, and dropping doubled consonants was part of that effort. That’s the same broader trend behind Americans writing “color” instead of “colour” and “organize” instead of “organise,” even though those particular words follow different rules.
The Same Rule Applies to Other Words
“Cancel” isn’t an isolated case. Several verbs ending in a single vowel plus “l” double the “l” in British English before adding a suffix, but stay single in American English:
travelling (UK) vs. traveling (US)
modelling (UK) vs. modeling (US)
labelled (UK) vs. labeled (US)
signalling (UK) vs. signaling (US)
fuelled (UK) vs. fueled (US)
If you’re used to writing “cancelled,” you’ll likely default to the doubled-L pattern for these words too, and vice versa.
What About “Cancellation”?
Here’s where it gets interesting: “cancellation” is spelled with two L’s in both British and American English — there’s no “cancelation” variant in standard use. The doubling rule only applies to the verb forms (“cancelled/canceled,” “cancelling/canceling”), not to the noun.
Which Style Guides Recommend
If you’re writing for a specific publication or company, it’s worth checking their style guide:
The AP Stylebook, used by most US newsrooms, uses “canceled” and “cancellation.”
The Chicago Manual of Style follows American convention: “canceled.”
Oxford style guides, used across the UK, use “cancelled.”
If you don’t have a style guide to follow, match whichever region your primary audience is in.
Which One Should You Use?
The real rule isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about consistency. If you’re writing for a British or international audience, use “cancelled.” If you’re writing for an American audience, use “canceled.” Switching between both spellings in the same document is the actual mistake, not choosing one over the other.
Examples in Context
Correct (US): “The flight was canceled due to weather.” / “Please confirm before canceling your subscription.”
Correct (UK): “The flight was cancelled due to weather.” / “Please confirm before cancelling your subscription.”
Incorrect: mixing “cancelled” and “canceled” (or “cancelling” and “canceling”) in the same email, article, or document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “cancellation” ever spelled “cancelation”? No, “cancellation” always has two L’s, regardless of whether you use British or American spelling elsewhere.
Is “canceled” wrong? No. It’s the standard American spelling and is correct in that context.
Which spelling does Google prefer? Neither. Search engines rank based on content quality and relevance, not regional spelling choice, as long as you stay consistent throughout a page.
Consistency Is Harder Than It Sounds
When you’re writing quickly, or reading content from both sides of the Atlantic all day, it’s easy to slip between spelling conventions without noticing. A grammar checker Chrome extension like TypoGuard can be set to your preferred regional spelling, US or UK English, and will flag any inconsistency in real time as you type, so your documents stay uniform no matter how many sources you’re pulling from.
Want your writing to stay consistent everywhere you type? Install TypoGuard for free and never mix up regional spellings again.
