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Synonyms

play hooky

Idioms  

  1. Be absent from school or some other obligation without permission, as in It was such a beautiful day that Herb played hooky from work. In this term, the noun hooky may have come from the phrase hook it, meaning “escape.” [Mid-1800s]

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.

Don’t tell your boss, but if there was ever a day to play hooky, create a DIY three-day weekend and soak up the last rays of summer, this Monday could be it.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 30, 2022

"He would play hooky… and tan aggressively. He looked like a Versace bag."

From Fox News • Sep. 28, 2021

We take a weekday in early December, play hooky from our respective jobs, and take a leisurely approach to loading up on gifts.

From Slate • Dec. 15, 2015

I doubt there’s a better way to play hooky in New York right now.

From New York Times • Sep. 13, 2014

“But a good day to play hooky, I suppose. Hey, look, that’s what I’m doing.”

From "Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story" by Nora Raleigh Baskin

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.