play hooky

Idioms and Phrases

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

Supposedly playing hooky from filming a movie, he visits the walrus diorama at the Natural History Museum.

From Los Angeles Times

He works hard to please but likes his breaks and sometimes plays hooky.

From Seattle Times

Sunday’s show wasn’t the first time the Boss personally signed off on his fans playing hooky.

From Los Angeles Times

They worked or played hooky, they hid or revealed their feelings, they participated or declined to participate in the war to come.

From New York Times

Forty-eight hours later, we were playing hooky from work in favor of boozy Avra lunch.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• avoid
• depart
• disappear
• dodge
• elude
• emerge
• evade
• flee
• fly
• leave
• run
• slip
• slip away
• vanish