50 excuses to leave anywhere, plus what to say on the phone
The best excuses are urgent, ordinary and impossible to check: a roommate locked out, a dog sitter with a problem, a client who needs you now. Avoid serious emergencies; they lead to follow-up questions.
Pair each excuse with a caller who fits, let your phone ring, and say one line. Below are 50, each with who calls and what to say.
What makes an excuse work
- Urgent: it has to happen now, not later tonight.
- Ordinary: keys, pets, packages, work. Things that happen to everyone.
- Uncheckable: nobody at the table can confirm or follow up on it.
- Short: one sentence. Details make a story easier to doubt.
Home (1–8)
| # | Excuse | Who calls | What you say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roommate is locked out | Roommate | “You’re locked out? Okay, I’m on my way.” |
| 2 | A delivery needs a signature | Courier | “I can be there in fifteen minutes, can you wait?” |
| 3 | A leak under the sink | Roommate | “How bad is it? Turn the valve off, I’m coming.” |
| 4 | Landlord or repair visit moved to tonight | Landlord | “Tonight? Okay, I’ll be home in twenty.” |
| 5 | The smoke alarm won’t stop beeping | Roommate | “Is it the battery? Okay, I’ll come and sort it.” |
| 6 | Neighbor needs you to move your car | Neighbor | “Oh, sorry! I’ll come move it now.” |
| 7 | Left the stove or iron on | Roommate | “Can you check? … Okay, I’d better come back.” |
| 8 | Houseguest arrived early | Friend | “You’re here already? I’ll come let you in.” |
Pets (9–14)
| # | Excuse | Who calls | What you say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Dog sitter has to leave | Dog sitter | “You have to go now? Okay, I’ll head back.” |
| 10 | Dog ate something it shouldn’t have | Roommate | “He ate what? Okay, I’m coming home.” |
| 11 | Cat got out | Neighbor | “She’s outside? Thanks, I’ll come get her.” |
| 12 | Pet needs medication on time | Roommate | “Did he get his meds? No? Okay, I’ll come back.” |
| 13 | Dog walker can’t make it | Dog walker | “No worries, I’ll go walk him myself.” |
| 14 | Puppy has been alone too long | Roommate | “Is he crying? Okay, I’m on my way.” |
Work (15–22)
| # | Excuse | Who calls | What you say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | A client needs you now | Client | “Yes, I can talk now. Give me one minute.” |
| 16 | Boss needs a quick call | Boss | “Sure, I can jump on in five.” |
| 17 | Something broke at work | Coworker | “Is the site down? Okay, I’ll log in.” |
| 18 | Deadline moved up | Manager | “Tomorrow morning? Okay, I’ll start tonight.” |
| 19 | On-call alert | Coworker | “I’m on call this week, I need to handle this.” |
| 20 | Overseas call that can’t move | Client | “It’s morning for them, I have to take it.” |
| 21 | Need to check something before a meeting | Coworker | “Let me get to my laptop and send it now.” |
| 22 | Early start tomorrow | Manager | “Seven a.m.? Okay, I’ll head home now.” |
Family (23–30)
| # | Excuse | Who calls | What you say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Mom needs help with something | Mom | “Is everything okay? Okay, I’m coming.” |
| 24 | Sibling needs a ride | Sibling | “Where are you? I’ll come get you.” |
| 25 | Babysitter has to leave | Babysitter | “Of course, I’ll be home in twenty.” |
| 26 | Kid can’t sleep | Partner | “Still awake? Okay, I’ll head back.” |
| 27 | Parent’s tech emergency | Dad | “The Wi-Fi’s out again? I’ll come fix it.” |
| 28 | Relative arriving at the station | Aunt or uncle | “You’re early! I’ll pick you up.” |
| 29 | Promised to call home tonight | Mom | “Sorry, I forgot! Let me find somewhere quiet.” |
| 30 | Partner locked out | Partner | “You don’t have your keys? I’m coming.” |
Friends (31–37)
| # | Excuse | Who calls | What you say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Friend needs to talk | Friend | “Oh no. Where are you? I’ll come over.” |
| 32 | Friend’s car broke down | Friend | “Send me your location, I’ll come.” |
| 33 | Promised to meet a friend later | Friend | “You’re already there? Okay, on my way.” |
| 34 | Friend needs a key back | Friend | “I have your spare key! I’ll bring it now.” |
| 35 | Friend’s birthday drinks | Friend | “I didn’t forget! Coming now.” |
| 36 | Helping a friend move | Friend | “The van’s there already? I’m coming.” |
| 37 | Friend lost their phone and is calling from another one | Friend | “It’s you? Where are you? I’ll come find you.” |
Getting home (38–43)
| # | Excuse | Who calls | What you say |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Last train is soon | Partner | “The last train is at 11:40? Okay, I’m leaving now.” |
| 39 | Ride is outside | Driver | “You’re outside? Coming now.” |
| 40 | Parking is about to expire | Partner | “The meter runs out at nine? I’ll go move the car.” |
| 41 | Bad weather on the way | Roommate | “The roads are getting bad? I’ll leave now.” |
| 42 | Sharing a ride that’s leaving | Friend | “You’re leaving now? Wait, I’ll come with you.” |
| 43 | Early flight tomorrow | Partner | “Right, the flight is at seven. I’m heading home.” |
Simple and honest (44–50)
These need no call at all, and they’re often the best choice:
| # | What you say |
|---|---|
| 44 | “I’m going to call it a night. Thanks for having me.” |
| 45 | “I’m wiped out, I need to head home.” |
| 46 | “I have an early start tomorrow.” |
| 47 | “I promised myself a quiet night in.” |
| 48 | “I’ve got a headache coming on, so I’ll get going.” |
| 49 | “I’ve really enjoyed this, but I need to go.” |
| 50 | “I need to make a call, and then I’m going to head out.” |
Excuses to avoid
- Hospitals, accidents, deaths. People will ask how your grandmother is doing next week.
- Anything they can check. “My shift starts at ten” falls apart if they know where you work.
- The same excuse with the same people. The locked-out roommate works once per group of friends.
- Elaborate stories. If it takes more than one sentence, it’s too much.
Make your phone ring on cue
Every excuse above lands better when your phone actually rings. Set the caller in needacall to match the excuse, keep it open (it looks like a chat app), and triple-tap when you’re ready. More on making it believable: how to fake a phone call.
Questions
What is the most believable excuse to leave?
Something small, urgent and boring: “My roommate is locked out” or “The dog sitter needs me.” Nobody asks about it later, and nobody can check it.
Which excuses should I avoid?
Serious illness, a death, an accident or a hospital visit. People will ask how it went, and you’ll have to keep the story going.
Do I need a phone call for an excuse to work?
No, but a ringing phone makes any excuse more believable. It moves attention from you to the call, and it gives you a natural moment to stand up.
How do I make my phone ring on cue?
Use a fake-call app you can trigger quietly. needacall looks like a chat app; triple-tap anywhere and an incoming call appears.
Real danger = real call. needacall is for awkward moments, not emergencies. If you’re in danger, call 911 (US), 112 (EU) or 999 (UK).