cancel culture
Europe, feminine
The English phrase "cancel culture" can be expressed in French as cancel culture or culture de l'annulation.
Meaning: cultural phenomenon (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| cancel culture | Europe, feminine |
| culture de l'annulation | Canada, feminine |
Which one should you use?
In Canada, the phrase culture de l'annulation is used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Europe, particularly in France, the English loanword cancel culture is common in media and conversation, whereas in Canada, culture de l'annulation is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both terms are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- The word culture in culture de l'annulation shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'wheel', coming from the Proto-Indo-European root *kʷel- meaning 'to move' or 'to turn'.
- In France, the term cancel culture is often discussed alongside la culture du clash, a phrase used to describe the aggressive, confrontational style of public debate common in French media.
- While English speakers use 'cancel' as a verb for boycotting, the French term annulation in culture de l'annulation is more closely related to the formal cancellation of a contract or a flight.
Examples in context
- La cancel culture divise beaucoup les jeunes.Cancel culture divides many young people.
- Certains critiques dénoncent la cancel culture.Some critics denounce cancel culture.
- Est-ce que la cancel culture est dangereuse ?Is cancel culture dangerous?
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are discussing a recent social media trend.
- LucasAs-tu entendu parler de la cancel culture ?Have you heard about cancel culture?
- EmmaOui, je trouve ça assez radical.Yes, I find it quite radical.
- LucasC'est vrai, mais c'est parfois nécessaire.That is true, but it is sometimes necessary.
- EmmaJe ne suis pas sûre d'être d'accord, Lucas.I am not sure I agree, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cancel culture” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries culture, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
