off work for the day

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "off work for the day" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone has completed their work responsibilities for the day and is no longer at their workplace. Example: "After a long week, I am finally off work for the day and ready to relax."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"Sand is overrated," murmurs Joel, the hero of this comedy, who's goofed off work for the day to mope around the beach.

The Guardian - Film

As we were speaking with a group of kids visiting the Malandros Court after getting off work for the day, a few rounds of automatic-weapon fire erupted in the hillside slums surrounding us.

Vice

When it's sunny, you and some of the guys love to bunk off work for the day, sling a few bottles of premium OJ in a haversack and head out to the lake.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Oh, both are downloadable as well, so why not load up the Creative Zen player and skive off work for the rest of the day.

Vice

From 19 December – known as Black Eye Friday when employees sign off work for the holidays – until 4 January this year, they worked continuously.

The Guardian

With his wife and two adult children off working for the day, he needs to deal with this problem on his own.

The Washington Post

Many Americans can't afford to take off work for a day to drive or fly to Washington for an inauguration.

Huffington Post

This year, individual tax returns are due on Tuesday, April 18, since April 15 is a Saturday and on Monday, federal government workers have the day off work for Emancipation Day, a Washington, D.C. holiday.

Huffington Post

Last Halloween, a young intern at a bank reportedly e-mailed his bosses begging off work the next day for an implied emergency trip home to New York.

The New York Times - Tech

If we assume that an employed parent would take one day off work for every day missed away from school for a dependent child with asthma, the savings to that parent's employer associated with a reduction in disparity in medication use for children with asthma would be $852.40 per employed parent.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

To link data on disparities in children's use of asthma medications to an employer business case, we made the assumption that an employed adult would have to take one day off work for every day in which a child had an asthma exacerbation requiring a physician office visit, an ER visit, or a hospital admission [ 43].

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "off work for the day" to clearly communicate that someone is not expected to perform their job duties on a particular day. It implies a temporary absence, whether planned or unplanned.

Common error

Avoid using "off work for the day" if the absence is longer than a single day. Use "off work" followed by an explanation of the duration, like "off work for a week" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "off work for the day" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate a temporary state of absence from one's employment duties. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "off work for the day" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that indicates a temporary absence from one's job. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is appropriate for various contexts, from casual conversations to professional settings. It's important to consider the duration of the absence; this phrase is best suited for single-day absences. Alternatives such as "day off work" or "not working today" offer similar meanings, but consider the nuance and formality required by the context. Remember to use "off work" with a duration like "off work for a week" for absences longer than a day.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

day off work

Slightly shorter and more common way to express the same idea.

away from work for the day

Emphasizes being absent from the workplace.

not working today

Direct and simple way of saying someone is not at work on a given day.

not at work today

Simple and direct statement of absence.

taking a day off

Focuses on the act of taking leave from work.

on leave for the day

More formal way to express absence from work, often implying approved leave.

out of office for the day

Common in professional settings, particularly when referring to email auto-replies.

absent from work today

Emphasizes the absence, often used in an official context.

finished work for today

Implies the completion of work duties rather than absence.

day's work is done

Suggests that all work has been completed for the day.

FAQs

How can I use "off work for the day" in a sentence?

You might say, "I'm planning to be off work for the day next Friday" or "He's off work for the day because he has a doctor's appointment".

What's a less formal way to say "off work for the day"?

Informally, you could say "I'm not working today" or "I'm taking a "day off"".

Is it correct to say "off from work for the day"?

While understandable, "off work for the day" is more common and grammatically standard. "Off from work" can sound slightly redundant.

What's the difference between "off work for the day" and "finished work for the day"?

"Off work for the day" implies absence from work, while "finished work for the day" means you've completed your tasks and are no longer working, but may still be present or available.