Can’t call someone back? Here are 30 brilliant excuses you can use to avoid an awkward phone conversation or buy yourself some time.
I was just about to call you back when my phone died. I didn’t have a charger and it took me awhile to find one. Sorry about that!
We all have those days when we just can’t muster up the energy to talk on the phone. Whether you’re having an introvert day or just don’t feel like talking, check out this list of 30 excuses to get you out of calling someone back.
30 Solid Excuses Not To Return a Call
Before we dive into the list, I want to explain my motivation behind this article. Last week, my friend Claire kept calling me nonstop. I care about Claire, but sometimes her phone calls drag on for over an hour. That day, I just wasn’t in the headspace for one of our marathon talks. However, I also didn’t want to be rude and straight up ignore her calls.
I scrambled my brain for a polite excuse to avoid calling her back right away. That experience made me realize that we could all use some extra excuses in our back pocket when we need to delay a phone call.
So without further ado, here are 30 excuses you can use to get out of calling someone back:
My phone ran out of minutes. I need to add more minutes to my plan before I can accept calls again.
I left my phone at a friend’s house last night and haven’t gotten it back yet. Can I call you tomorrow when I have my phone again?
I’m about to go into a movie. I’ll call you back in a couple hours after it’s over!
My phone is acting glitchy and dropping calls left and right. Let me get it checked out and I’ll call you back later today.
I’m driving in an area with bad cell reception. I’ll give you a ring when I get back into range in about an hour!
My throat is feeling really scratchy today. I don’t want to strain my voice so I’m avoiding phone calls. Let’s connect tomorrow when hopefully my throat is less irritated!
I’m headed into a work meeting and will need to have my phone on silent. I’ll call you as soon as I’m out in about an hour.
My phone battery is under 5% and my charger is at home. Let me charge up a bit and I’ll get back to you later!
I’m about to get on the subway and will probably lose service. Talk soon when I resurface!
I’m crazy busy with work and have back-to-back meetings today. Can I call you tomorrow morning when my schedule is more open?
I was gardening all morning and just realized my phone is covered in dirt. Let me clean it off properly and then I’ll give you a buzz.
I’m headed into a yoga class and will be undisruptible for about an hour. I’ll phone you when I’m done!
I have a dentist appointment in 10 minutes and will be in the chair for a bit. Talk to you after it’s over!
My wi-fi is down so I can’t access any phone apps. Let me get my internet back up and running and I’ll be in touch.
I’m about to hop on a (insert mode of transportation) and probably won’t have great phone reception. But text me so we can set up a time to chat later!
My phone is having issues connecting phone calls right now. Let me do a reset on it. I should be good to call in 30 mins.
I accidentally left my phone at home today. Oops! Let’s plan to chat tomorrow when I for sure will have it with me.
I’m headed out to run some errands. I should be back in a few hours if you want to talk then!
My phone needs to charge for a bit before I can use it again. Talk in 30?
I have a few time-sensitive tasks I need to wrap up first, can I call you back in about an hour?
I need to pick up my kids from school in 10 minutes. Chat after I get them settled at home?
I’m about to hop on a call for work. What’s your availability like in an hour or so?
My phone is showing only 10% battery – let me charge it a bit and call you back so we don’t get cut off!
I’m waiting for an important call right now about a job interview I had. Can we connect in an hour?
I’m headed into a movie theater and don’t want to disrupt the show. Talk soon!
I’m about to take my dog on a long walk and likely won’t have cell service. Let’s for sure chat later this evening!
My neighbor stopped by for a last-minute chat. I should be free in about 20 minutes if that works for you!
I’m cooking dinner and have stuff on the stove I can’t leave. Call you right after we eat!
I just sat down to tackle this big project for work and want to focus fully on it without distractions for the next couple hours. Rain check?
My hands are so messy from gardening! Let me scrub up and then give you a holler.
So there you have it – 30 excuses to use when you just can’t handle a phone call right then. Bookmark this page for anytime you need to buy yourself a little time before calling someone back!
Funny Responses
Don’t want to call someone back? Try one of these 10 funny excuses to lighten up the conversation:
10 Hilarious Excuses Not To Call Back
Before we get into this list, I have an embarrassing confession. Last year I gave my grandma a fake excuse to avoid calling her one time. When she kept insisting I call her right away, I impulsively told her I had just chipped my tooth on a blockchain. Yes, a blockchain – not even a bagel or candy like a normal person!
She definitely knew I was grasping at straws to delay calling her. We now laugh hysterically whenever blockchain enter the conversation.
Hopefully with these creative and funny excuses, you won’t have to dig yourself into a hole of blockchain lies like I did with my grandma:
- I would call you back, but I joined a frog choir and have practice for the next 2 hours. Ribbit ribbit!
- My cat ran off with my phone and it taking her forever to bring it back. She keeps getting distracted chasing bugs. Maybe I shouldn’t have taught her to fetch…
- Believe it or not, I’m on a spaceship headed to Mars right now. No cell service in space!
- A monkey at the zoo just stole my phone. Those little thieves…The staff is trying to get it back from him!
- My goldfish is feeling under the weather, so I’m on fishy doctor duty administering medicine and moral support.
- I left my phone under the couch and my roomba sucked it up while vacuuming! Trying to get it out of his dust bin right now.
- I’ll call you when I finish knitting this sweater for my pet iguana Ignacio. He gets cold easily, you know.
- My mariachi band friends stopped by for an impromptu jam session! My phone is drowned out by trumpets and guitars right now.
- I accidentally Superglued my phone to the ceiling when I was doing an arts and crafts project. Waiting for it to un-stick…
- No joke – I’m at Clown College right now learning to juggle chainsaws. I can call between classes in a few hours!
So next time you need an outlandish excuse, try one of those funny phone call dodges for some comic relief. Lightens up the mood instantly!
Savage Responses
Feel like getting sassy? Utilize one of these snarky comebacks when you don’t want to call someone back right now:
10 Snappy Excuses Not To Call
I consider myself a fairly polite gal…until I get badgered to call someone when I’m not keen to chat that day. All niceties go out the windows when I get peppered with “Call me now!” texts.
Last week, an old high school frenemy messaged me insistently to phone her. When I tried to politely decline, she kept hounding me. Finally, I snapped and told her I couldn’t call her because I was busy transgendering my cat.
Yes, transgendering my cat – from all the excuses I could have used, that nonsense popped out. I realized then that I needed some better snarky excuses in my repertoire for annoying pests who won’t stop pressuring me to call them.
Next time someone bombards you with “Call me!” demands at an inconvenient time, bust out one of these saucy comebacks:
- Sorry, I can’t call you now or my souffle will sink faster than the Titanic.
- I would call but I need to shampoo my carpet right now – it’s long overdue!
- As much as I want to chat, it will have to wait until I finish reorganizing my sock drawer by color and pattern.
- I wish I could call you but I’m super busy picking lint balls off my sweaters. It’s very time consuming!
- Oh no, now is horrible timing! My bearded dragon escaped and I’m on a wild reptile chase around the house.
- I can’t phone you back because I’m baking rainbow cupcakes to celebrate my dust bunny’s birthday. It’s gonna be wild!
- I would love to chat my dear, but I need to rearrange all my books from tallest to smallest right now. Obviously can’t be interrupted!
- As delightful as you are, I simply cannot talk until I finish knitting full-body sweaters for all of my succulents.
- I cannot waste a moment! My tamagotchi is demanding dinner and a walk or he will die. Talk later!
- Oh darling, didn’t you know? Istart a competitive candy crushing league tonight so I’ll be quite preoccupied!
So next time someone bombards you with calls and texts when you’re not available, try out one of those sarcastic zingers! It will get them off your back real quick. 😉
Flirty Responses
Want to let them down easy while keeping things fun? Utilize one of these playful, flirty excuses to dodge that call:
10 Cheeky Excuses Not To Call Back
Last night, I was enjoying a relaxing bubble bath when my friend Drew kept blowing up my phone demanding I call him immediately. As much as I adore Drew, long heart-to-heart chats are not conducive to peaceful bath times.
However, I didn’t want Drew to feel brushed off either. So I responded with a flirty (yet absurd) text: “Oh Drew, I wish I could call you back sugar plum! Unfortunately, I’m teaching my goldfish how to salsa dance at the moment. Raincheck?”
He found it hilarious. It perfectly diffused the call demand in a lighthearted way. Thanks to that goofy bathtub excuse, Drew didn’t feel ignored and I could go back to enjoying my chamomile soak.
Whenever someone pesters you with call requests at inconvenient times, feel free to borrow one of these silly excuses! They let people down gently while keeping things fun and flirty:
- I’m awfully keen to call you back sweet cheeks, but I really have to reorganize my spice cabinet alphabetically first!
- Oh darling, I can’t possibly chat right now! My pet turtle and I are having a delightful tea party – simply cannot step away!
- Goodness me, as delightful as you are, I must postpone our call until I finish bedazzling my labradoodle’s coat!
- I do wish we could have a chinwag right now dear heart, but I simply must rearrange all my books by color first!
- Heavens, I yearn to call you angel face, but I must watch my sourdough bread proof first! Can’t risk it deflating on my watch!
- Sugar lump! Nothing would delight me more than a tête-à-tête with you! However, my bonsai tree is demanding a tiny top hat at the moment…rain check?
- I’m positively smitten to call you back darling! But I really must alphabetize my spice cabinet first – it’s long overdue!
- Good heavens, I’m utterly consumed sewing bespoke ball gowns for my gerbils at the moment! Call me later pumpkin?
- I’m dreadfully keen for a natter dear heart! But I’m teaching my goldfish to knit socks presently. Chat soon honey bunches?
- I wish I could call you this instant sweet pea. But my pet cactus is demanding a bubble bath at the moment! Talk later love muffin.
So next time you need a silly excuse to duck out of an untimely phone call without ruffling feathers, try out one of those ridiculous but adorable dodges! They always get a good laugh. 😉
10 Best Excuses Not To Call Back
If you need an excuse that is more plausible and effective, here are the 10 best excuses voted by our editors at mrsandthemiss.com for getting out of calls:
Top Editor Choice Excuses
We polled our team and asked everyone for their tried-and-true, never-fail excuses to avoid phone calls when inconvenient. They get pestered all the time as popular lifestyle bloggers!
Out of over 50 excuses submitted, we voted on the 10 most believable and effective dodges. Bookmark this page – having a few of these excuses on deck can get you out of calls without offending people!
#1 – I’m About To Walk Into A Meeting
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| You have a flexible job without a clear schedule, so people believe you have frequent spur-of-the-moment meetings. | You have a rigid 9-5 job that makes impromptu meetings unlikely. |
This tested excuse bought our editor Becca 72 hours before returning an ex’s call once! Since her social media job seems unpredictable from the outside, people rarely question this excuse about popping into meetings.
#2 – I’m On A Deadline For Work
Same excuse about being overly busy at work, but citing an urgent deadline conveys that it would be deeply unwise to interrupt you.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When you have an actually-existing work project you can describe if pressed for details. | When claiming a fictional deadline that you can’t expand on if asked follow-up questions. |
“Sorry, I’m on deadline to finish this branding project for a client. I’m super heads-down right now trying to get it done.”
#3 – I’m About To Get On A Flight
This excuses works well because people don’t expect you to call from a plane! It buys you at least a few hours before they wonder why you haven’t called them back.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When dealing with casual friends or distant acquaintances – people who wouldn’t necessarily know your flight schedule in detail. | When making excuses to close loved ones who might have your flight itineraries and actually expect a call upon landing! |
“About to board my flight to LA. I’ll call you back once I land!”
#4 – I’m Headed Into A Movie
Don’t pretend you are going to some obscure indie film though! Name a mainstream movie that they can verify is currently playing in theaters near you.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| Only use plausible movie titles currently screening in your area to avoid getting caught in a lie if they check showtimes! | Don’t use movie excuses during a time when you couldn’t possibly be going to the cinema, like early morning. |
“Heading into watch The Last of Us movie adaptation – heard the reviews are incredible! Let’s chat after, I’ll be out in 2 hours.”
#5 – I Have a Doctor/Dentist Appointment
Medical appointments make for great excuses because:
a) People won’t pressure you to call from the doctor’s office
b) The length is unpredictable – could be out for 30 mins or several hours!
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When you specifically mention a doctor or dentist visit. Generic “appointment” sometimes doesn’t fly. | Don’t use this as an excuse for your boss or colleagues who might know your schedule intimately enough to sniff this lie out! |
“Ugh, headed to the dentist for a cleaning! Hope it doesn’t take too long – let’s connect after.”
#6 – I’m Dealing With An Emergency
Family emergencies, pet health scares, home disasters – describe the situation without too many specifics and people will be understandably sympathetic to your radio silence.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When only citing an “emergency” for under 24 hours. Any longer and they may expect more details. | Don’t go fake-killing off relatives. Making up extreme lies about loved ones can backfire! |
“Family emergency situation unfolding. Talk soon, still handling things.”
#7 – I Have a Migraine
Similar to the medical visit excuse, citing a migraine headache elicits sympathy and conveys that looking at a screen to make a call isn’t feasible.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| On last-minute call dodges. If you claimed a week long migraine, people will worry about your health! | Be careful using too much lest you seem like a chronic migraine sufferer. |
“Ugh, my migraine is flaring up badly today – I better go lie down in the dark. Let’s connect when I’m feeling better!”
#8 – I’m Driving Right Now
People don’t expect you to chat on calls while operating motor vehicles! This excuse allows you to dodge talks for however long your drive would reasonably last.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When the person doesn’t know your current location or route to sniff out if you could actually be driving. | Don’t pretend to be driving if they know you’re home sick or without transportation that day! |
“I’m driving to run some errands at the moment. Let me call you back in an hour when I get home!”
#9 – My Phone Is About To Die
What better avoidance excuse than one where you physically won’t be able to take a call? People understand phones running out of juice so they won’t take offense to briefly losing contact.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When dealing with non-suspicious people. If someone thinks you’re avoiding them purposefully, they may not believe the dead phone excuse. | Only use this excuse briefly – longer than a few hours and they’ll assume you would have charged your phone back up! |
“My phone’s showing 5% battery – let me charge up and call you back in 30!”
#10 – I Left My Phone At Home By Accident
We’ve all spaced and walked out the door without our cell phones by mistake once or twice! People very rarely question this excuse for radio silence throughout the day.
| When To Use | When Not To Use |
|---|---|
| When dealing with acquaintances or distant friends who couldn’t verify your exact location and confirm if you truly left your device. | Be careful using this on close loved ones who could collaborate with others to actually verify if your phone stayed home that day! |
“I’m so annoyed with myself – I left my phone on the counter as I was rushing out this morning! Didn’t realize until I got to work. I’ll call as soon I’m back home!”
How To Reply To A Girl
So you suddenly can’t call a female friend back right away. You know ghosting people is just plain rude…but what’s a polite way to ask for a raincheck?
Here is my tried-and-true method for dodging calls from girl friends without starting drama:
My Go-To Script For Turning Down Calls From Girls
1. Start with a pet name. Whether you go with something generic like “sweetheart” or use her actual nickname, opening with a pet name softens the blow of asking for a raincheck on calls.
2. Apologize and take blame. Let her know you’re sorry you can’t talk right now and it’s your fault for having poor timing. Don’t make excuses that point blame on her.
3. Give an outlandish but funny excuse. Peppering in some light-hearted humor keeps things friendly. See the “funny responses” section above for zany excuse ideas.
4. Reassure her with specific plans. Vaguely saying “let’s talk soon okay?” isn’t good enough. Give a specific later date and time that definitively commits you two chatting.
Here’s what that script looks like in action:
“Hey sweetheart! I’m so terribly sorry but I can’t have a proper chinwag right now. I’m alphabetizing my spice cabinet and simply cannot step away or I’ll lose track! Can we continue this delightful conversation tomorrow at 3pm over mugs of tea and baked goods from that bistro you enjoy?”
Boom – with that cheeky message, she feels respected since you:
- Took ownership (apologized + gave excuse)
- Made her laugh (outrageous alphabetizing excuse)
- Set later plans (tea tomorrow at 3pm)
So next time you need to curve a call from a female friend, borrow that template! It dodges conversations without hurting feelings or starting drama.
How To Reply To A Guy
What happens when your buddy won’t stop texting you to call him right now? Ghosting him seems harsh…but you’re also not in the mood for drawn-out bro talk.
Try adapting this script I crafted to gently turn down phone calls from guys without causing offense:
My Winning Script For Dodging Calls From Dudes
1. Open with a masculine nickname. Even something as simple as “hey man” feels more natural than formal titles when talking to guys.
2. Take blame but keep it short. Don’t spill your guts with personal excuses. Briefly own that the timing is poor “on your end” and move on.
3. Crack a joke. Some light humor alleviates tension. Adds levity so he knows not to take your decline too seriously.
4. End definitively. Leave no room for negotiations by ending with an unmoving statement. Switch topics to redirect focus.
See it in action:
“Hey man! My bad for the delay getting back to you. My schedule is just wild today – gotta sort this madness out. Probably still digging papers out of my backpack from freshman year of college knowing how messy my folders are! Hit you back on game night, we still on for Call of Duty marathon at 8pm?”
That hits all the tactics:
- Masculine nickname opener
- Concise ownership of delay
- Funny messy papers joke
- Definitive ending with gaming plans switch
Feel free to adapt that structure when you need an easy out to curve calls from your guy friends without leaving them hanging!
Conclusion
Sometimes we all need a convenient exit excuse when calls come at inopportune times!
Hopefully this article gave you plenty of believable, funny, sassy, and flirty excuses to use when dodging conversations. Keep the list handy for whenever someone demands a phone chat at a less than ideal moment!
Whether you pretend to be teaching dancing to a goldfish or claim you’re late to an important blockchain meeting (my grandma will never let me live that one down!), having excuses on deck can save friendships from unnecessary drama.
So next time life gets busy, don’t ghost friends and family! Simply review this list and let them down gently with a well-placed tall tale. Your relationships will thank you!
