call in sick

Idioms  

1. Telephone one's employer or school that one is ill and cannot come to work or attend. For example, Ben called in sick and told his boss he would miss the meeting. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

In addition, the agency has made it harder for officers to call in sick, said workers and union officials.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Cera also uses a separate AI tool to arrange cover when carers call in sick.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

In turn, that often prompts those employees to call in sick or skip work for other reasons, as was the case during the 2018-19 shutdown.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 8, 2025

Faced with a job she doesn’t know how to do, for instance, Lauren quickly learns she can call in sick a lot because she knows she’ll be bailing on her husband/acquiring a new life soon.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2024

Why didn't I tell my mother to call in sick today?

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi