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Synonyms

call it quits

Idioms  
  1. Stop working, abandon something, give up, as in John is calling it quits for now or This ground is far too stony for a garden so I'm calling it quits. This idiom comes from cry quits, dating from the 1600s and meaning “declare even” or “get even.” The verb call was substituted in the late 1800s. Also see call it a day.


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.

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In other cases, it has allowed workers to have a more secure retirement when they do call it quits.

From Barron's Jun. 13, 2026

Rather than provide proof, he attacked the media, accused major news organizations of corruption and eventually terminated the interview, telling Welker, “Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough.”

From Salon Jun. 11, 2026

Villaraigosa argued that enough voters remain undecided that it was too early for quality candidates to call it quits.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 5, 2026

Yet it’s too early to call it quits, with oil demand expected to keep growing for a while longer.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 10, 2026

He thought it was time to call it quits.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

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