play hooky

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "play hooky" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is an informal phrase used to refer to avoiding something, usually school or work, without permission. For example: "Yesterday, I decided to play hooky and take the day off to relax at the beach instead of going to work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Got him to play hooky.

The New York Times - Sports

To bag school: to play hooky.

The Guardian - Books

"They'd all play hooky and come to Seaside," he said.

The New York Times

"I'd rather go play hooky and have fun".

The New York Times - Travel

He let me play hooky from school every opening day.

The New York Times - Sports

"You want to play hooky with Isaac Richardrd asked Danny.

The New Yorker

For Americans, soccer is just not a sport you play hooky for.

The New York Times

It was the type of day when hordes of businessmen contrived excuses to play hooky.

The New York Times - Sports

The next morning, they looked at each other and decided to play hooky from work.

The New York Times

Play hooky, disappear for the weekend, have a fling, binge-shop like a Wall Street divorcée.

The New York Times - Health

Men are twice as likely as women to play hooky by calling in sick, according to a recent poll.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "play hooky" to describe a deliberate and often enjoyable decision to skip a responsibility. It carries a slightly mischievous or lighthearted tone.

Common error

Avoid using "play hooky" when describing legitimate absences due to illness or emergencies. The phrase implies a voluntary, often unauthorized, decision to skip something.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "play hooky" functions as an idiomatic verb phrase. It describes the action of avoiding a responsibility, such as school or work, typically without permission or a valid excuse. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Academia

10%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "play hooky" is an idiomatic verb phrase denoting the act of skipping a responsibility, typically school or work, without permission. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in the English language. The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media, with a formal tone and it serves the communicative purpose of informing or describing this act of skipping. The analysis reveals that "play hooky" is considered informal and is best used to express a deliberate, often enjoyable, decision to avoid obligations, not to describe legitimate absences. Alternatives include "skip school" and "ditch class", depending on the specific context. Common errors involve using the phrase to describe excused absences, and Forbes suggests exploring whether there are good reasons to "play hooky with your kids".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

skip school

Specifically refers to avoiding school attendance.

ditch class

A more informal term for skipping a class or school.

play truant

A more formal and British English equivalent.

skive off

A British English term for avoiding work or school.

go AWOL

Implies absence without official leave, often from work.

take a day off

General term for taking a break, can imply without permission.

call in sick

Feigning illness to avoid work or school.

goof off

Spend time doing nothing important instead of working.

slack off

Not putting enough effort into work or school.

take French leave

Leaving without permission or notice.

FAQs

How can I use "play hooky" in a sentence?

You can use "play hooky" to describe skipping work or school without permission. For example, "I decided to "play hooky" and go to the beach today".

What's a more formal way to say "play hooky"?

A more formal way to say ""play hooky"" is "play truant", although it's more common in British English.

Is it appropriate to use "play hooky" in professional settings?

Using ""play hooky"" in professional settings might be seen as too informal. Instead, consider saying someone "took an unauthorized day off" or "was absent without leave" if the context requires a serious tone.

What's the difference between "play hooky" and "call in sick"?

"Play hooky" implies skipping work or school without a valid excuse, often for leisure. "Call in sick" suggests falsely claiming illness to avoid responsibilities.