Q:

Is there any difference in meaning between "blow someone off" and "cancel on someone" in the sense of canceling plans with someone?

Is there any difference in meaning between blow someone off and cancel on someone in the sense of canceling plans with someone? For example:

I made a date with Monica for coffee, but she canceled on me.
I made a date with Monica for coffee, but she blew me off.

A:

The phrases overlap, but using "blew me off" indicates that the speaker feels they have been treated with contempt. The first version is softer, though saying "canceled on me" also indicates that one feels ill-treated. A more neutral expression would be simply "...she canceled."

