call it a day

USAGE SUMMARY

"call it a day" is an idiomatic expression used in written English.
It is used to indicate that one should end a task or activity for the day, usually due to fatigue or a need to be productive. For example, after hours of studying, you might say, "Let's call it a day and try again tomorrow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Upload photos, songs, text and other stuff, drag it around, and call it a day.

TechCrunch

We'll have to call it a day.

The Guardian

"We decided to call it a day.

The New York Times - Arts

So Apple should call it a day?

The Guardian - Tech

"Time to call it a day, ladies".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

At 3am, I call it a day.

The Guardian - Music

At 79, it's probably wise to call it a day.

The Guardian - Books

On that note, let's call it a day.

The Guardian

Employers sometimes hire outsiders and call it a day.

Harvard Business Review

But some visitors weren't ready to call it a day.

The New York Times - Travel

The time has come to call it a day.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "call it a day" when you want to signal a transition from work to rest, especially after significant effort has been expended. It is highly effective in professional settings to politely end a meeting or a collaborative session.

Common error

Avoid using "call it a day" if you intend to permanently quit a career or a long-term project without intending to return. In those cases, "call it quits" or "retire" is more appropriate, as "call it a day" typically implies a temporary cessation of labor for that specific calendar day.

How to use

Learn how to use "call it a day" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

The phrase "call it a day" functions as a phrasal idiom acting as a verb phrase. It typically follows a subject and an auxiliary verb (e.g., "let's" or "decided to"). According to Ludwig, it is used as a predicate to describe the action of stopping work.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "call it a day" is a versatile and essential English idiom that is perfectly acceptable in both casual and professional writing. Data from Ludwig shows that it appears frequently in elite publications, reinforcing its status as a reliable phrase for ending work sessions. Whether you are writing for The Guardian or a business memo, using this phrase effectively signals a natural end to productivity. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread utility, suggesting that as long as you include the essential pronoun "it", you can use this phrase with confidence to indicate that the time has come to stop and rest.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

call it a night

Specifically used when the activity is ending late in the evening or at night

wrap it up

Focuses on the process of concluding a specific task or meeting

stop for the day

A more literal and less idiomatic way to describe ending work

pack it in

Often suggests ending work due to frustration, tiredness or completion

knock off

A more informal, British-leaning term for finishing a shift at work

call it quits

Can imply a more permanent abandonment of the activity rather than just a daily pause

finish up

Focuses on completing the final portions of a project

draw a line under it

Emphasizes the definitive end of a situation or project to move on

put a pin in it

Suggests pausing a discussion or task to return to it later

retire for the evening

A formal way to say one is stopping activities to go to bed

FAQs

How do I use "call it a day" in a sentence?

You can use it as a standalone suggestion or as the predicate of a sentence. For example: "After fixing three bugs, the developer decided to <a href="/s/call+it+a+day" target="_blank" rel="alternative">call it a day."

What is a more formal alternative to "call it a day"?

In professional reports or formal writing, you might prefer to use "<a href="/s/conclude+operations" target="_blank" rel="alternative">conclude operations" or "<a href="/s/terminate+the+session" target="_blank" rel="alternative">terminate the session".

Can I use "call it a day" at 10 PM?

While technically correct if you are ending your workday, it is more common to use "<a href="/s/call+it+a+night" target="_blank" rel="alternative">call it a night" once the sun has gone down.

Is it "call it a day" or "call a day"?

The correct idiom is always "<a href="/s/call+it+a+day" target="_blank" rel="alternative">call it a day". Omitting the pronoun "it" makes the phrase grammatically incomplete and loses the idiomatic meaning.