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

See Examples For:

call in sick

BrightHR, which monitors absences across more than one million UK employees, predicts at least 1.5 million workers will call in sick during the tournament, resulting in more than 2.3 million additional sickness absences.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

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

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

“We appeal to our operators to reconsider the impact their plan to call in sick will have on some of the most vulnerable people in the county.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2024

The easiest way to get in trouble, everyone said, was to arrive at work late or call in sick too often.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover