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Synonyms

call it a day

Idioms  

  1. Stop a particular activity for the rest of the day, as in It's past five o'clock so let's call it a day. Similarly, call it a night means “to stop something for the rest of the night,” as in One more hand of bridge and then let's call it a night. The original phrase was call it half a day, first recorded in 1838, which referred to leaving one's place of employment before the work day was over. The first recorded use of call it a day was in 1919, and of call it a night in 1938. Also see call it quits.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So you can understand, if not necessarily agree with, their reluctance to drop out and call it a day, in the hope that, just maybe, that proverbial bolt of lightning will strike.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Why not make big printouts of the digital collages and call it a day?

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

Djokovic isn’t ready to call it a day just yet.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

"It was a great performance from Conor, but this might be the time to call it a day for Chris," retired world champion Frampton told DAZN.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025

He wanted to call it a day and return to the ship before that happened.

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.