# cancel a decision?



## Wellbred

Hi

Do we say "I canceled my decision about going on that trip. I am going to stay home and watch TV instead?"


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## boozer

Why not use something simpler like "I've changed my mind about..."


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## Enquiring Mind

In this context I don't think we'd use _decision_ at all.
I changed my mind/had second thoughts about going on that trip.


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## PaulQ

"Boeing has cancelled its decision to buy parts from Mongolia." seems fine to me.

"I canceled my decision about going to go on that trip.


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## Wellbred

One of my students told me me that. I told him that he could use phrases you guys mentioned here but he insisted on posting it on the web and have other people's opinion on it. Thank you


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## crazybrava

PaulQ said:


> "Boeing has cancelled its decision to buy parts from Mongolia." seems fine to me.
> 
> "I canceled my decision about going to go on that trip.


I don't think it is correct to 'cancel a decision' in English. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Boeing has cancelled its *agreement* to buy parts from Mongolia.
Boeing has *decided against buying* parts from Mongolia.

And back to the original sentence, I would simplify it further and say I cancelled the trip/plans.


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## Enquiring Mind

I think "cancel a decision" is perfectly okay.


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## boozer

Enquiring Mind said:


> I think "cancel a decision" is perfectly okay.


I think so too but it sounds very official to me in this trivial context.


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## George French

It all sound so forced... Much more natural is:-

"I am going to stay home and watch TV instead of going on that trip."

GF..

There are many variants on this.....


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## JamesM

Perhaps it's a difference in usage between AE and BE.  I find "cancel a decision" very odd, too, as crazybrava did.  I can cancel an agreement, an order, a subscription, my plans, tbe arrangements, a reservation -- all of those sound fine to me -- but to cancel a decision sounds distinctly odd.

For the original sentence, I'd rather see "I've decided not to go on that trip" or, as others have suggested, "I've changed my mind about going on that trip".


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## Loob

I find "cancel a decision" odd too, James. I don't think we've got a BrE/AmE divide here - it looks more like individual variations in usage....

(I agree with you and others that there are alternatives which would be much more appropriate in this context.)


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## LilianaB

Maybe _I gave up the idea of going on that trip_.


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## Wellbred

Thank you all for your contributions. You know guys, every time you grab a grammar book to look at the difference between AmE and BrE, the book says: "There aren't many differences between these dialects. Just some words and the way some other words are pronounced..." but it seems the difference is more than what one may think!
I believe Americans had a strong reason to leave England and create their own country. They really wanted to become independent!


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## JamesM

The differences are found more in common usage and vocabulary than in grammar, but Americans differ from other Americans in the way they say things, too, as do Brits from other Brits (see answers above).  Languages are very messy things.  

The actual grammar differences between BE and AE are truly minor.


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## LilianaB

We can cancel plans, I think. This sounds alright. I have canceled my plans to go on that trip.


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## Packard

I would "rethink my decision" or "after much thought I have decided not to decide at this time", but I would not "cancel a decision".  A judge might "revoke a decision" or perhaps "rescind a decision", but I don't think he would cancel one.


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## George French

Wellbred said:


> I believe Americans had a strong reason to leave England and create their own country. They really wanted to become independent!


Now that is an interesting slant on the joint history of the American Colonies and the Motherland.

GF..


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## JulianStuart

The cancel sounds strange to me too! If I cancel my decision, then I am undecided again.  

I can rethink, change etc. but not cancel it.  I can cancel plans.


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## Loob

Packard said:


> I would "rethink my decision" or "after much thought I have decided not to decide at this time", but I would not "cancel a decision".  A judge might "revoke a decision" or perhaps "rescind a decision", but I don't think he would cancel one.


"Rethink my decision" would work for me too, MrP - or (in more formal contexts, as you say) "revoke" or "rescind" a decision. 

I really don't think there's an AmE/BrE divide here.


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## Packard

George French said:


> Now that is an interesting slant on the joint history of the American Colonies and the Motherland.
> 
> GF..



With remarkable forethought the colonists in the New World decided they wanted independence from England so that there would be ample opportunity for arguments on WordReference once they invented the Internet.


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## PaulQ

JulianStuart said:


> The cancel sounds strange to me too! If I cancel my decision, then I am undecided again.


That is not necessarily so.

"I cancelled my decision to have my garden redesigned as my wife was opposed to it."  



> I can rethink, change etc. but not cancel it.  I can cancel plans.


I have not rethought, changed, etc., my decision, I have cancelled it.

Examples from a web search:
"I checked my mirrors and my blind spot and noticed a car overtaking me so I _cancelled my decision_ to change lanes at the very moment..."
"The OX-Gig was great fun, so great that I _cancelled my decision_ to leave the band."

I would be cautious about "rethinking a decision" it does not mean that you will come to different conclusion, merely that you will reconsider and perhaps come to the same decision.

Changing a decision implies that you still had a decision, albeit a new one, but as the two examples above show, the situation remained as it had been before the decision had been made and was not replaced by another.

Google gives 780,000 hits for "cancelled my decision" I assume there will be more for his, their, our, the, a, etc.


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## JulianStuart

PaulQ said:


> That is not necessarily so.
> 
> "I cancelled my decision to have my garden redesigned as my wife was opposed to it."
> 
> I have not rethought, changed, etc., my decision, I have cancelled it.
> 
> Examples from a web search:
> "I checked my mirrors and my blind spot and noticed a car overtaking me so I _cancelled my decision_ to change lanes at the very moment..."
> "The OX-Gig was great fun, so great that I _cancelled my decision_ to leave the band."
> 
> I would be cautious about "rethinking a decision" it does not mean that you will come to different conclusion, merely that you will reconsider and perhaps come to the same decision.
> 
> Changing a decision implies that you still had a decision, albeit a new one, but as the two examples above show, the situation remained as it had been before the decision had been made and was not replaced by another.
> 
> Google gives 780,000 hits for "cancelled my decision" I assume there will be more for his, their, our, the, a, etc.



_To me_, the decision is the _act of making a choice_ between the options.  Plan A and Plan B, for example.  I decide to go with plan B - the _outcome_ of my decision is to implement Plan B.  I can cancel Plan B, but if I cancel my decision, I am free to choose again between Plan A and Plan B.  You*, however, carry forward Plan A as "the decision".    This is the thinking that makes "cancel" a decision sound odd to me.  I may be wrong, but if I round up enough like thinkers, we'll be right 

*And some others, as indicated by your google.


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## Waylink

In my view, I also find "I cancelled / canceled my decision" very strange for personal use.


I think if I read: "The government has cancelled it's decision to build 13 nuclear submarines" I would treat that as more or less OK on the basis that it really means "it's plans" or "it's policy", not literally the decision itself.

I guess a lot turns on what we mean  by the word "decision" in a particular context.  If it literally means the act of deciding, I have no doubt that "cancelling" is not the right word to use.   If the  word "decision" is being used more broadly to mean the plan or policy or even intention, things could be different.

Note that if we read:  "*This decision* is most unfortunate; *it should be cancelled* because it is a complete waste of money and will not address the needs of ... blah blah blah", I think the speaker /writer is *NOT *referring to the *act of deciding* as such but to the plan, policy or intention, in fact *the substantive project itself*.


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## Loob

PaulQ said:


> That is not necessarily so.
> 
> "I cancelled my decision to have my garden redesigned as my wife was opposed to it."
> 
> I have not rethought, changed, etc., my decision, I have cancelled it.
> 
> Examples from a web search:
> "I checked my mirrors and my blind spot and noticed a car overtaking me so I _cancelled my decision_ to change lanes at the very moment..."
> "The OX-Gig was great fun, so great that I _cancelled my decision_ to leave the band."
> 
> I would be cautious about "rethinking a decision" it does not mean that you will come to different conclusion, merely that you will reconsider and perhaps come to the same decision.
> 
> Changing a decision implies that you still had a decision, albeit a new one, but as the two examples above show, the situation remained as it had been before the decision had been made and was not replaced by another.
> 
> Google gives 780,000 hits for "cancelled my decision" I assume there will be more for his, their, our, the, a, etc.


Google hits do not a construction make....

The "car" example _almost_ works for me.  But it's still not what I'd say.


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## PaulQ

JulianStuart said:


> _To me_, the decision is the _act of making a choice_ between the options.


Hmm... would not that be "*deciding*" and *after *the deciding comes the *decision*. The _act of making a choice _is a continuing process, but, as you say below in blue, you *reach *a decision and become *decided*.





> Plan A and Plan B, for example.  I decide to go with plan B - the _outcome_ of my decision is to implement Plan B.


 the _outcome_ of my decision is to implement Plan B 
or 
the _outcome_ of my making a choice is the decision to implement Plan B.





> I can cancel Plan B, but if I cancel my decision, I am free to choose again between Plan A and Plan B.


or indeed to keep the _status quo ante_ (decision cancelled) or do something else (new decision.)





> You*, however, carry forward Plan A as "the decision".


Yes, Plan A is now "*the decision*."


> This is the thinking that makes "cancel" a decision sound odd to me.  I may be wrong, but if I round up enough like thinkers, we'll be right


Democracy in the English Language! The End of Times is surely upon us!


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## JulianStuart

PaulQ said:


> Democracy in the English Language! The End of Times is surely upon us!


The Guardian and Telegraph will follow soon thereafter


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## PaulQ

Waylink said:


> I think if I read: "The government has cancelled it's decision to build 13 nuclear submarines" I would treat that as more or less OK on the basis that it really means "it's plans" or "it's policy", not literally the decision itself.


But it's plans and policy were both decisions. I assure you that decisions on policy are the subject of great meetings as are the adoption of plans.





> I guess a lot turns on what we mean  by the word "decision" in a particular context.  If it literally means the act of deciding,


I mentioned this above, *a decision* is what *results from* an act of deciding.



> I have no doubt that "cancelling" is not the right word to use.


having made a decision, why can you not cancel it?


> If the  word "decision" is being used more broadly to mean the plan or policy or even intention, things could be different.


This is a strawman argument; you redefine the term and then attack the newly defined version. A plan, a policy and a decision can all be cancelled.

Cancelling the decision results in the cancellation of the plan and/or the policy also.



> Note that if we read:  "*This decision* is most unfortunate; *it should be cancelled* because it is a complete waste of money and will not address the needs of ... blah blah blah", I think the speaker /writer is *NOT *referring to the *act of deciding* as such but to the plan, policy or intention,


Then we are in agreement. The speaker/writer is *not* referring to to the *act of deciding; *they are referring to *the result of the act of deciding*, or as I say, "the decision."


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## JulianStuart

I'd _reverse_ a decision if I wanted to communicate that I changed my mind from A to B (if those were the two options).  I'd cancel a decision if I felt I had rushed and now realized I needed more time to review plans A and B.

The Supreme Court will eventually* be given the opportunity to r_everse_ this landmark decision (the one about corporations being individuals).    I don't think they will "cancel" it.


*Call me an optimist.


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## Loob

PaulQ's posts in this thread have lost me completely.

But then that often happens to me with PaulQ's posts.


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## JulianStuart

Loob said:


> PaulQ's posts in this thread have lost me completely.
> 
> But then that often happens to me with PaulQ's posts.



Ngram may help you feel a little better 

Comparing "cancel the decision" with "reverse the decision" (I don't know how to refine an analysis like this)  shows that "cancel the decision" exists but is very rare compared to "reverse"


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## PaulQ

Ah, Loob, I am lost as to why you are so often lost... 

@Julian,
"I'd _reverse a decision if I wanted to communicate that I changed my mind from A to B (if those were the two options). _Yes, or *change *if there were only A and B as options._

I'd cancel a decision if I felt I had rushed and now realized I needed more time to review plans A and B." _I think I would *suspend *my decision if my choice was only between A or B and I became undecided yet had to decide.


http://timeline.lge.gov.uk/APS/Appeals/+LGR 18-334.htm


> It is noted that the council initially agreed to convert your annual pension into a lump sum and so extinguish your rights to further payment of retirement benefits, *but later cancelled the decision when they realised that the power to do so did not apply in your case.*



Julian: Comparing "cancel the decision" with "reverse the decision" (I don't know how to refine an analysis like this) shows that "cancel the decision" exists but is very rare compared to "reverse"

Loob doesn't accept Google searches. But perhaps cancelling is simply less common an action than reversing and is therefore less reported?


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## Cagey

Google's raw number is  780,000.  However, they give only 22 actual hits, three of which are another construction entirely, in which the words are joined by serendipity:


> so I _cancelled. My decision_ was


Several of the remaining are awkward constructions, and not to be taken as models. 


> _cancelled my decision_ *of* giving money


Google's raw numbers are an estimate. No one knows exactly what they mean because the way they are derived is a trade secret, but they are not reliable indications of usage. 

For further discussion see: 
Google numbers (again)


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## PaulQ

try "cancelled my decision" using quotation marks, then you have to substitute for *my *and also *canceled *(is that AE?) and *[will] cancel*. The numbers are not great, I agree. 

Google is not an engine to do the research unless the hits are overwhelming. However, amongst the hits there are sensible constructions from reputable sources.

We are probably agreed that amongst the things that you can do with a decision is to cancel it, whether it is done often, it seems not.


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## JulianStuart

PaulQ said:


> Loob doesn't accept Google searches. But perhaps cancelling is simply less common an action than reversing and is therefore less reported?


*Ngram-viewer is nothing like a google "search"* - it is based only on *printed* books, *not* websites, blogs, tweets, newspapers, magazines and the like.  It is very accurate, but based on only those books that google has in its database - only about 4% of books ever printed .


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## boozer

Waylink said:


> In my view, I also find "I cancelled / canceled my decision" very strange for personal use.
> 
> 
> I think if I read: "The government has cancelled it's decision to build 13 nuclear submarines" I would treat that as more or less OK on the basis that it really means "it's plans" or "it's policy", not literally the decision itself.
> 
> I guess a lot turns on what we mean  by the word "decision" in a particular context.  If it literally means the act of deciding, I have no doubt that "cancelling" is not the right word to use.   If the  word "decision" is being used more broadly to mean the plan or policy or even intention, things could be different.
> 
> Note that if we read:  "*This decision* is most unfortunate; *it should be cancelled* because it is a complete waste of money and will not address the needs of ... blah blah blah", I think the speaker /writer is *NOT *referring to the *act of deciding* as such but to the plan, policy or intention, in fact *the substantive project itself*.



This is exactly what I meant when I said I agreed decisions could be cancelled. I would only cancel a decision that has reached a certain stage of implementation and that only by an official act of "cancellation" - as official as the decision itself. And this is exactly why I do not like "cancelled my decision" in the original context in post 1.


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## LilianaB

Wouldn't they be implemented or changed only: a decision of doing something into a decision of not doing that?


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## JamesM

LilianaB said:


> Wouldn't they be implemented or changed only: a decision of doing something into a decision of not doing that?



That's how I see it.  I don't see "decision" encompassing the project related to the decision, so cancelling the decision doesn't make sense to me.  I could make the decision to start the project and then cancel the project, but I couldn't cancel the decision at that point.


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## charl555

Hi,

         I think "I changed my mind" is the right sentence to use in this context.


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## Waylink

Regarding the use of search engine results to check on usage, Google has recently introduced a "Verbatim" option (under "More search tools") which folks may find useful. 

The numbers still sometimes seem rather bizarre though!   For example, I have seen a higher count for verbatim than for non-verbatim and that seems counter-intuitive to my simple mind.  When I checked into this I found that Google algorithms may search deeper when a search request is repeated.  This is on the basis that the person searching is clearly not satisfied with the immediate results and would be willing to wait some milliseconds longer for a fresh search.

And, as Cagey has pointed out, the headline result count should not be relied on. You do need to inspect the actual results that are returned.


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## PaulQ

boozer said:


> ... I would only cancel a decision that has reached a certain stage of implementation ...


President: "I have made my decision! Attack Ruritania!"
Aide: "But sir, Ruritania is our ally, Rumbabwe is the enemy."
President: "Ah.. Yes... cancel that decision, attack Rumbabwe!"

Nothing has been implemented. *Cancelling *a decision *causes *plans, policies, etc., to be changed or cancelled.


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## boozer

But Paul, the example you have given does imply the aide had already taken some action towards attacking Ruritania, otherwise there would be nothing to cancel, I believe  Besides, how does that president imagine being overruled by one of his underlings, which is, again, something the word "cancel" tells me - you only cancel something that is within your power to cancel. In my view the president should have said "I cancel that decision" which would not really sound very sound  to me given that fact that nothing had happened for the 10 seconds between taking the decision and rethinking it.

In fact, I have found an example in the BNC that exemplifies the officialdom/implementation I imagine when hearing "cancel a decision":

_The Grand National Assembly (parliament) on June 5 voted by 177 votes to 35, with 33 abstentions, to cancel a decision which it had taken on May 28 to hold a referendum "on the country's future state system" as a step towards adoption of a new constitution._

I imagine (maybe wrongly) that a decision to hold a referendum involves some preparatory steps, i.e. drafting papers, projecting and allocating budget, ordering paper, etc. Therefore, "cancel a decision" makes sense to me in the above context.


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## PaulQ

boozer said:


> But Paul, the example you have given does imply the aide had already taken some action towards attacking Ruritania, otherwise there would be nothing to cancel,


As the Aide knows Ruritania is an ally, there will have been no preparations made against Ruritania. 





> Besides, how does that president imagine being overruled by one of his underlings, which is, again, something the word "cancel" tells me - you only cancel something that is within your power to cancel.


The president made a mistaken decision, he was not overruled, "his attention was redirected to the reality." 


> In my view the president should have said "I cancel that decision" which would not really sound very sound  to me given that fact that nothing had happened for the 10 seconds between taking the decision and rethinking it.


There can be no plans, policies, action, etc without a decision; first the decision then the action. If the decsion is cancelled all the plans and preparations are also cancelled but, as a consequence.

I think some of the (to my mind) confusion has arise with *decision *as a countable and an uncountable noun:
"Parliament is a place of decision." (uncountable) i.e. Parliament spends its time in the act of deciding things - the process of coming to a decision.
"You will accept my decision." (countable) i.e. "This concept shall be caused to happen." or "Let it be done!"

Your example is just what I would have chosen but





> ...a referendum involves some preparatory steps ...


I agree, but the decision was to hold one and nothing else. There may have been many other decisions on how exactly it was done, but the decision to hold a referendum is the first step and the one upon which everything depends. The decision is the foundation stone and although it may imply the rest, it doesn't include them.


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## JulianStuart

Waylink said:


> Regarding the use of search engine results to check on usage, Google has recently introduced a "Verbatim" option (under "More search tools") which folks may find useful.
> 
> The numbers still sometimes seem rather bizarre though!   For example, I have seen a higher count for verbatim than for non-verbatim and that seems counter-intuitive to my simple mind.  When I checked into this I found that Google algorithms may search deeper when a search request is repeated.  This is on the basis that the person searching is clearly not satisfied with the immediate results and would be willing to wait some milliseconds longer for a fresh search.
> 
> And, as Cagey has pointed out, the headline result count should not be relied on. You do need to inspect the actual results that are returned.


For usage issues, I don't use Google counts any more, there's no need and only the problems you mentiom. I now use only ngram viewer , an entirely different system that does not look at anything found on the internet, only printed (and therefore usually edited) books.  It would be good to prohibit google searches as discussion points here, and substitute ngram data for them.


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## Packard

Out of curiosity I would ask those of you who have indicated that "cancel my decision" is acceptable. 

Would you use this construction?

I think even amongst those who have championed the acceptability, none would use the construction.


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## George French

Packard said:


> Would you use this construction?



I hope not.

Cancel a decision sounds wrong, even though its meaning is quite clear and obvious. There are enough words that one can/should/could use instead.

GF..


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## PaulQ

Packard said:


> Out of curiosity I would ask those of you who have indicated that "cancel my decision" is acceptable.
> 
> Would you use this construction?
> 
> I think even amongst those who have championed the acceptability, none would use the construction.


You think wrongly. One reason I support it, is that I worked in an area where matters changed by the minute; new evidence arose, new instructions were given and a sound decision at 13:00hrs was a bad one at 13:01. Shouts of "cancel that decision" or similar were not uncommon - the decision would be cancelled and either another put in its place or we waited for further instruction devoid of a decision.

I think it is important also to realise that the original poster was quoting direct speech. There may be some reticence (despite a lot of written evidence on the internet) to actually write it but, I suspect, less to say it.

I do not think that anyone would object to decisions being rescinded, revoked, set aside, or annulled, etc., all of which *cancel *the original decision and put nothing in its place; why then an opposition to cancelled?


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## JamesM

Why is any collocation either comfortable or uncomfortable?    It is primarily a matter of experience.  You have direct experience where people used "cancel that decision".  I have no experience of that combination.  I don't know whether your experience is unique to the group of people you worked with, unique to a particular field of business or perfectly common and I haven't ever encountered it.  I can imagine cancelling an order but not cancelling the decision to give the order. 

I can only say that it does not seem like a "normal" collocation to me because I haven't encountered it in reading, casual conversation, business conversation, in watching movies or other areas of my life where I might be exposed to it.  To me, a decision, once made, can't be unmade.  It can be reversed or rescinded but it can't be undone.  Plans for a trip can be cancelled, but the decision to go on the trip can't be cancelled.  It's simply a way of seeing "decision", I suppose. (As a side point, I can't see a decision being annulled.  Is that also a common collocation for you?)

I honestly don't know how widespread the use of "cancel a decision" is.  I would be curious to see more examples.


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## Perseas

_The parties continued their dispute at the Supreme Court of Georgia, who  cancelled the new decision and ruling to cancel the default decision  passed by Kutaisi Court of Appeal and thus, reserved the default  judgment of 2006 made by Kutaisi Court of Appeal on legal grounds in  force. _
http://www.supremecourt.ge/eng/news/id/130

In a context like that above, I would be familiar with the use of "to cancel a decision". But, neither I have encountered it in other areas of my life. However, its meaning is clear.


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## .~Cornelia~.

for me, " I canceled my decision" is not wrong, but it's not commonly used ... people like the simplicity in talking..
I can write it in a context, but if I talk, I'll say " I changed my mind"


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## PaulQ

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/sol/foia/comm/other/10640992.pdf (1st para) This is a decision on the petition  filed by facsimile transmission March 15, 2006, which is being treated as a petition under 37 CFrR 1.1 81(a)(3) requesting that the Director exercise his supervisory authority and *“cancel" the decision *of the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy mailed March 8, 2006

http://www.edmonton.ca/business_economy/assessment_tax/appealing-to-court-of-queens-bench.aspx On hearing the appeal, the Court may confirm or *cancel the decision*. If the Court *cancels the decision*, it is referred back to the Assessment Review Board for rehearing.

http://www.nursingboard.ie/en/power-to-suspend.aspx
The nurse/midwife to whom a decision under this section relates may, within the period of 21 days, beginning on the date of the decision, apply to the High Court for *cancellation of the decision* and if such person so applies, the High Court, on the hearing of the application, may- (i) *cancel the decision, *

http://www.errc.org/cikk.php?cikk=578
Rather than ordering local authorities *to cancel the decision*, the government had apparently placed hopes in "recent statements of certain members of the local authority", which, in the government's view, "suggest that the decision to erect the fence might be revoked"

http://www.visual-paradigm.com/support/documents/vpumluserguide/100/578/32531_commitwithsu.html Reset selected conflicts: *Cancel the decision* you have just made for dealing with the select conflict(s) when a conflict is found during committing.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/7664003.html - Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Karti told reporters Thursday that "the Kenyan government has affirmed that it would work *to cancel the decision*

http://www.cooperseatery.com/house-prices-bid.html So postpone or *cancel the decision* to buy a home. That means you have to start again looking for a family dream house.

http://defense-update.com/features/2009/july/fres_st_130709.html However,  the initial phase known as FRES Utility Vehicle was halted after a decision *to  cancel the decision* to buy the Pirhana V armored vehicle from General Dynamics  UK.


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## JamesM

My wife and I were just talking about this and she made an interesting point.  To her (and to me), a decision is something that happens at a point in time.  It is made in the moment and is then done.  You can make another decision later about that decision but that decision has passed into the past.

To our way of thinking, something needs to exist in the present in order to be cancelled.  I can cancel an order because the order still stands.  I can cancel a date because it is a plan for a future event.  I can cancel a trip for the same reason.  Cancelling a decision, though, goes against the grain for both of us because it is an event that occurred in the past.  It has consequences in the present but the actual decision is long gone.

I'm still thinking this through, but this seems to line up with my concept of what can be cancelled.  To cancel a decision sounds as odd to me as "I'm cancelling the vacation I took last year".  If you took it already you can't cancel it now.


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## Grady412

I'm in the same boat as JamesM; I've never heard it before. Were I editing something containing the phrase, I would remove and replace it. 

The decision to cancel a trip is different from cancelling a court decision. US court decisions may be vacated, but they are not cancelled. 

At least in US usage, _cancel a decision_ is unusual. In PaulQ's links above, I believe the only US link is the first one, from the US Patent & Trademark Office, which has placed the word _cancel_ in quotation marks.


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## PaulQ

JamesM said:


> ... To our way of thinking, something needs to exist in the present in order to be cancelled.  I can cancel an order because the order still stands ...   Cancelling a decision, though, goes against the grain for both of us because it is an event that occurred in the past.  It has consequences in the present but the actual decision is long gone.


So, you place an order on Monday and you cancel it on Wednesday... was that order not made in the past but was still extant until cancelled? So with a decision; it is made on Monday and it stands until, cancelled, revoked, rescinded, changed, etc., on Wednesday...


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