play hooky

VERB

escape

Synonyms

STRONGEST

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

STRONG

abscond bolt circumvent decamp desert double duck elope pass shun skip

WEAK

bail out burst out cut and run cut loose duck out fly the coop get away with get off go scot-free make getaway make off make oneself scarce run away run off run out on steal away take a powder take flight take on the lam work out of wriggle out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

appear arrive come confront continue encounter face meet stand stay take on wait walk

STRONG

accept aid assist help

WEAK

capture remain

VERB

lam

Synonyms

STRONG

abscond avoid blow bolt circumvent decamp depart desert disappear dodge double duck elope elude emerge evade flee fly leave pass run shun skip vanish

WEAK

bail out break out burst out cut and run cut loose duck out fly the coop get away get away with get off give someone the slip go scot-free make a getaway make getaway make off make oneself scarce run away run off run out on slip away steal away take a powder take flight take it on the lam take on the lam work out of wriggle out

Antonyms

STRONG

accept aid appear arrive assist come come in confront continue encounter face help meet remain stand stay stop take on wait walk

VERB

skip

Synonyms

STRONGEST

escape eschew pass up

STRONG

cut desert disregard flee neglect omit slip split

WEAK

leave out miss out pass over run away skim over

Antonyms

STRONG

stay

WEAK

face meet take on

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Asked how it felt to suddenly become a Drifter, Mr. Thomas told Mr. Goldberg: “As a kid, I used to play hooky to see the Drifters at the Apollo. It felt good!”

From New York Times • Feb. 6, 2023

Don’t tell your boss, but if there was ever a day to play hooky, create a DIY three-day weekend and soak up the last rays of summer, this Monday could be it.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 30, 2022

"He would play hooky… and tan aggressively. He looked like a Versace bag."

From Fox News • Sep. 28, 2021

For many contemporary writers of fiction, The Novel looms balefully, a rigid school from which we should all be desperate to play hooky.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 3, 2016

It was my junior year of high school, and Mitra persuaded my parents to let me play hooky for the day.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

play hooky

Example Sentences

Related Words