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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.

Executives decided upon Saturday as the time to call it quits, to avoid ending flights on a busier travel day.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

Gil would call it quits now—afraid for his business, of losing everything.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Lucy suggests watching for a "tipping point" as a sign to call it quits.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

After a six-decade run at the helm of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the 95-year-old Buffett, arguably the world’s most famous and successful investor, will call it quits at the end of the year.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 10, 2025

I'm not going to get anywhere if I'm that ready to call it quits.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

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.