What is a good excuse example?

Asked by: Noemie Stark  |  Last update: January 28, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (52 votes)

Good excuses are typically short, believable, and unavoidable, like sudden illness (flu, migraine, food poisoning), family emergencies (sick child, accident), or urgent home/transportation issues (burst pipe, car breakdown). They often involve something outside your control, such as a mental health day or a last-minute appointment, and are best when not overly detailed but still specific enough to sound genuine.

What are some good excuses?

The Excuses

  • 1. I Haven't Got Time
  • 2. I Need to Focus on My Career
  • 3. I Haven't Got (The Thing) I Need
  • 4. Person X Hasn't Done what they Said
  • 5. I'm Too Busy with X
  • 6. My Family is My Top Priority
  • 7. I Haven't Finished Planning Yet
  • 8. It's a Work In Progress

What are examples of excuses?

Great leaders don't make excuses because it gets them further away from positive progress.

  • Turning Excuses into Power. ...
  • Excuse 1: "I am waiting on someone else." ...
  • Excuse 2: "I don't have the money or budget." ...
  • Excuse 3: "I don't have enough time." ...
  • Excuse 4: "It's my team's fault." ...
  • Excuse 5: "I haven't done this before."

What is a believable excuse?

Believable excuses are short, specific, and unavoidable, often involving sudden illness (like food poisoning, migraine, or flu), family emergencies (sick child, elderly parent), or home/transportation issues (burst pipe, car trouble), as these are beyond your control and usually require honesty without oversharing details. Keep it brief, mention you'll update them, and avoid over-explaining or using common lies that get caught. 

What's a good last minute excuse for work?

Dr appointment, family emergency, car trouble, jury duty, home flood, need to let some kind of worker into your house, need to babysit that day for a relative, etc. Be creative!

Great Excuses For Missing Work [With Examples]

21 related questions found

How to call out sick without lying?

Try saying: I started feeling unwell yesterday evening, and I feel even worse this morning. I'm not feeling well enough to come to the office, and I don't want to risk passing anything on to anyone else. I'm going to take a sick day today to recover.

What is a valid reason to miss work?

Certain unexpected situations such as illness, family emergencies or unexpected events are usually acceptable reasons to be absent from work. Repeated absence due to poor planning or dissatisfaction with the job, however, is discouraged.

What is considered a reasonable excuse?

Believable excuses are short, specific, and unavoidable, often involving sudden illness (like food poisoning, migraine, or flu), family emergencies (sick child, elderly parent), or home/transportation issues (burst pipe, car trouble), as these are beyond your control and usually require honesty without oversharing details. Keep it brief, mention you'll update them, and avoid over-explaining or using common lies that get caught. 

How to call off work without saying why?

Emergency: Some urgent, non-medical reasons to call out of work may include an emergency home repair, like a flood or fire, or a death in the family. Personal: If your employer offers you personal days to use throughout the year, you can usually take them without having to give a specific reason.

How to politely cancel last minute?

Give the Person a Genuine Reason

Telling the other person that will make them feel as if their business doesn't matter to you. Be open and tell the person why you are unable to make it. If you have been under the weather all week, say that. They will appreciate your honesty and be more understanding.

What are common excuses people use?

Here's one excuse for every day of the month and one solution to counter each one.

  • I don't have the time. Solution: MAKE the time. ...
  • I'm too young. ...
  • I'm too old. ...
  • I don't have enough money. ...
  • No one is interested in what I have to say. ...
  • I don't have the right connections. ...
  • I can't catch a break. ...
  • I don't have enough education.

What is a good sentence for excuse?

She had no valid excuse for not finishing her homework. He's always making excuses for himself.

What are some valid reasons to call out?

15 Good Excuses to Call Out of Work (And How to Communicate With Your Boss)

  • Medical illness. One of the most common—and legitimate—reasons to miss work is illness. ...
  • Doctor's appointment or procedure. ...
  • Family emergency. ...
  • Funeral attendance. ...
  • Jury duty. ...
  • Mental health day. ...
  • Child-related responsibilities. ...
  • Car trouble.

How to make a great excuse?

To earn that level of credibility, it needs three things: urgency, believability, and boundaries. Urgency means your excuse points to something that requires immediate attention—think sudden illness, a medical emergency, or a legal obligation.

What is a good excuse to go outside?

Meditating, reading a book, writing a journal, listening to music, painting and indulging in a picnic are all calm ways to spend your time and still take pleasure in the outdoors.

What's a good excuse to say you're busy?

I have a lot on my plate.

In terms of work (and even daily life), this means you can't accept any more tasks. I'd love to help, but I've got a lot on my plate right now. That's a nice idea, but our team already has so much on our plate, I don't think we'll be able to work on it until at least next year.

What's a good last minute excuse?

Good last-minute excuses often involve sudden, unavoidable personal or household emergencies like a stomach bug, car trouble, a home repair crisis (burst pipe, no heat/AC), family emergency, or pet emergency, as these feel legitimate and often resolve quickly, with mental health days and sick children also being popular options. The best excuses are short, specific, and tied to immediate, uncontrollable events, minimizing suspicion, say experts on this wikiHow page.
 

How can I call in sick convincingly?

A simple, honest message builds more trust than an over-the-top explanation. Example: “I'm dealing with some personal health issues today and need to take a sick day. I'll follow up tomorrow if I'm feeling better.”

How do I tell my boss I can't come in?

To tell your boss you're not coming in, notify them ASAP (call/text/email) with a brief, professional message like, "I'm not feeling well and need to take a sick day today," or "I have an unexpected [family/home] emergency and won't be in," and propose a plan for urgent tasks or coverage if possible. Keep details minimal but be clear, honest, and offer updates, showing you're still responsible even while absent.
 

What is the most believable excuse?

The most believable excuses are short, specific, and tied to unavoidable real-life situations like sudden illness (vomiting bug, migraine), family emergencies, or unexpected home/transportation issues (burst pipe, car trouble). A vague "family emergency" or "not feeling well" combined with a clear message about managing work and being unavailable is often best, as it shows responsibility without oversharing, according to Sensei AI and Sensei AI.
 

How do I call off work last minute?

To call out of work last minute, notify your manager ASAP via their preferred method (call/text/email), keep the reason brief and direct (e.g., "sudden illness," "home emergency," "car trouble"), apologize for the short notice, and offer to cover urgent tasks or update them later, focusing on being prompt and professional to minimize disruption. Common reasons include illness (food poisoning, fever, migraine), unexpected family or childcare issues, or urgent home/car problems, but you can also use vague "personal reasons" or a mental health day. 

What qualifies as an excuse?

An excuse is a justification for being relieved from a duty or obligation. In legal contexts, it often refers to a reason that can mitigate or eliminate liability for damages. Excuses can be granted when a person did not have a choice in their actions or did not intend to cause harm.

Is getting no sleep a reason to call in sick?

Yes, severe lack of sleep is a valid reason to call in sick, especially if it impairs your ability to function safely or effectively at work, similar to a migraine or fever, impacting focus, mood, and concentration. While an isolated poor night's sleep might not always warrant a day off, persistent insomnia or extreme fatigue that makes you unfit for duty (especially in safety-critical roles) is a legitimate health reason to rest and recover, though honesty about the cause (e.g., fatigue, mental health day) is best. 

What is the biggest cause of absence from work?

Here are the top seven causes impacting your business.

  • Cause 1: Mental health, stress, and burnout. ...
  • Cause 2: Minor and short-term physical illness. ...
  • Cause 3: Chronic conditions and long-term sickness. ...
  • Cause 4: Disengagement and low morale. ...
  • Cause 5: Bullying, harassment, and workplace conflict.

How many days can you miss work without getting fired?

You can often be fired for missing just one day without proper notice in at-will employment states, but it heavily depends on your company's policy, your attendance history, and legal protections like FMLA or ADA for serious medical issues; generally, a pattern of 3+ unexcused absences in 90 days is often a trigger for action, but some employers use point systems, with termination possible after 15-20 points.