Meaning & Origin

“Call it a day” means to stop an activity for the time being — usually because enough has been done, energy is low, or time is up. It has been used in workplace English for over a century to mark the end of a work period.

Pronunciation Guide

• call — vowel like “awl.”
• it a — often reduced to “ih‑tuh.”
• day — long “a,” as in “say.”
• Natural rhythm: CALL it a DAY.

Usage & Sentence Examples

Use it to suggest ending work or pausing a task until later.

• We fixed the blocker — let’s call it a day.
• It’s 8 p.m.; we should call it a day and pick this up tomorrow.
• After three interviews, the panel called it a day.
• The team agreed to call it a day once tests were green.
• I’ve hit diminishing returns on this draft; I’m calling it a day.
• If the rain doesn’t stop, the crew will call it a day early.

Synonyms

wrap up · finish up · knock off for today · sign off · call it quits · stop for now