73 Good Excuses To Not Hang Out With Someone (Update 2023)

Are there people in your life that always want to hang out? Having friends and family that want to spend time with you is great, but sometimes you want to be alone or just don’t want to hang out. This article will help you avoid awkward situations and provide you with a long list of good excuses to not hang out with someone.

Perhaps a guy or a girl always wants to hang out because they have feelings for you, but you aren’t interested in them that way. So, you give them excuses to not hang out because you don’t want to be rude or give them with the wrong impression.

At the end of the day, you shouldn’t feel bad for saying no to hanging out, especially if it’s someone you always see. Taking breaks from other people, even your best friends, is healthy.  After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder, or so they say.

Good excuses to not hang out

If you’re constantly caving into others’ need to chill, then it sounds like you need a good excuse for not hanging out when you want to be alone.  Here is how to do it:

1. You have too much homework

Having too much homework is one of the top excuses to not hang out with someone. The reality is, if you’re a student, then this is probably the truth. Falling behind on your homework can become stressful, especially if you need good grades. This is one of those excuses not to hang out that will only work during the school year unless you are enrolled in summer school.

2. You are too tired

Another good excuse not to hang out with someone is that you are too tired. There are lots of reasons for being tired that you can use, for example:

• You didn’t sleep much the night before
• You just got back from the gym
• You had a long day at work
• You are getting over an illness, and your energy isn’t back yet

3. You have to work

Blowing off work to hang out with someone is not a great idea. It can put your job in jeopardy, especially if you have already used up all your excuses to get out of work in the past. Saying that you have to work is one of the easier excuses to not hang out with someone because others will likely never question it.

4. You are sick and don’t want to pass it on

Claiming that you are sick as an excuse not to hang out is another excellent option. Especially if you show concern for the other person by saying that you don’t want to infect them. If you use this excuse, they might persist and say that they don’t care if they get sick, so be prepared for that type of response. If this is the case, you will need to embellish how sick you are. Make it seem like you’ve caught the plague.

5. You already have plans with someone else

Telling someone who always wants to hang out that you have plans with someone else should get them off your back. If it doesn’t, and they ask to join you, you can say something like, “Sorry… <insert person name> specifically asked that it was just the two of us.”

6. Your family wants to hang out

Using various family members for excuses to not hang out is also good because it can work in multiple ways. It could be your mother, father, sister, brother, cousin, grandparents, aunts, or uncles that want to spend time with you. Using family is an excellent option if you have a large family or if you are a child of divorce. Most of the time, if someone asks to hang out and you use family as an excuse, they won’t want to intrude.

7. You are trying to save money

Whenever you hang out, you tend to spend money you don’t have. This is why you cannot hang out today, tomorrow, or next week. You are trying to pay down your credit card bill and don’t like borrowing money. If the person wanting to hang out counters by saying that you don’t need to spend money or that they will cover it, just politely decline and say that you don’t want to owe them anything.

8. You already turned down plans with someone else, so it wouldn’t be fair

You can claim that another friend or family member tried to make plans to hang out earlier, but you said no to them. It wouldn’t be fair if you then made plans with someone else! An approach like this appears honest and says you don’t feel like hanging out with anybody.

9. You need to study more

You are trying to get into an outstanding school, or you’re falling behind in your current classes. Either way, you need to spend more time studying in order to achieve your goals. If the person trying to hang out with you suggests that you study together, then tell them that you’re too easily distracted and are only effective when studying alone.

10. You have to wake up early the next day

If it’s later in the evening, then telling somebody that you have to wake up early the next day as an excuse not to hang out with them is a solid option. You better think of a different excuse if it’s early in the day though. Also, you’ll need to be ready if they ask why you need to wake up early. In that case, the possibilities are plentiful:

• You have an early class
• You need to walk your dog
• You want to get to the gym early
• You have to work early
• You need to catch up on homework
• You need to wake up early to clean your house
• You are going on a trip
• You have to drive someone to the airport

11. Your stomach is upset

Having an upset stomach is another good excuse not to hang out with someone. It could be from something you ate, lack of sleep, or being hungover. And besides,, who wants to hang out with someone when their stomach is upset?

12. You have too many errands to run

Saying you have to run errands is another great example of an excuse you can use not to hang with someone. It works because, similar to some of our previous examples, there are so many different types of errands you can run. Errands can include grocery shopping, picking up dry cleaning, dropping something off to someone, paying bills, etc.

13. You have to practice

Practice makes perfect, or so they say. You can use having to practice for something as an easy excuse not to hang out with someone. Pick something that you are into, such as:

• Practicing an instrument like the guitar or piano
• Team practice for a sport
• Practicing for a spelling bee
• Swimming practice
• Cheerleading practice
• Band practice

14. You are trying to stay sober

This is an example of one of those excuses not to hang with someone that will work, but it sort of depends on what type of person you are. This is a great option if you like to drink, smoke, or party frequently, in which case, saying that you are trying to clean up your act is a great way to get out of plans. You can say that you are trying hard to stay sober, but you get easily triggered when you go out in public or hang with certain people. You want to stay strong!

15. You are going to the movies

Apparently, people still go to the movies, and you are one of those people. After the pandemic started, movie theaters were hit hard, like many other industries. You are doing your duty to get back into the theatre and help Hollywood recover! You can say that you like going to the movies alone so nobody talks to you or that you are already going with someone else, like a family member.

16. You have tickets to an event

Having tickets to an event is another good excuse not to hang out. This excuse is good because you can claim that it’s an exclusive event and that no more tickets are left. Or, it could be to a sporting event, and your section in the stadium is full. However, if you use this as an excuse, do your homework and make sure the event you claim to be attending actually exists.

17. You have reservations somewhere

Having reservations somewhere also works as an excuse not to hang out with someone. The most common reservations are for restaurants, galleries, exhibits, and clubs. Saying that you have reservations makes it seem like wherever you go is important, exclusive, and can’t be missed.

18. You are feeling depressed

Using depression as an excuse to not hang out with someone is totally valid. You don’t need to be ashamed to talk about your mental health with others. If you are depressed, you might want to be left alone.

19. You have an appointment

Doctor, dentist, work-related and other appointments will take priority over hanging out with your friends.  If you don’t feel like chilling today, you can say you forgot you had an appointment scheduled as an excuse for not hanging out.

20. You feel a cold/flu coming on

It sucks you won’t be able to kick it with your friends, but if you feel like you’re getting sick then it’s basically your duty to stay in.  Not only will going out likely make your symptoms worse, but you’ll also spread the sickness to your friends.  Use a cold or the flu as an excuse to not chill with your friends and they’ll probably just be glad you did.

21. You are grounded

You got into trouble at school, or you weren’t nice to your little brother, so your parents grounded you.  It really sucks cause you had plans to go to your friend’s house for a sleepover, which will now have to be postponed.  Your friends will probably have been in a similar situation before themselves, so they’ll understand where you’re coming from.

22. You have covid-19

Never mind a cold or the flu, you have Covid.  That means you definitely won’t be going to hang out for the next week or so, and truth be told, your friends wouldn’t want you to be around them anyways.

23. You are laying low

It could be that you just dumped your girlfriend or boyfriend and don’t want to run into them in public, or maybe you are expecting trouble from the law.  Whatever the reason, you need to keep a low profile for a while, so hanging out in public or otherwise isn’t going to happen.

24. You can’t get a ride

If your friends live a bit further away from you then you already have a great excuse for not hanging out all the time.  Say something like you had car trouble, your other ride bailed, or your parents won’t give you a lift, and that’s why you can’t come by this time.

25. You have a black eye

You got in a fight or had some sort of minor accident and you have a mean black eye.  Not only does your face feel sore, but you’re also embarrassed to be seen in public. It’s better if you give he swelling a day or two before you see anyone again.

26. It’s pouring rain outside

When the weather outside is nasty, it can really put a damper on your mood and willingness to hang out.  It’s understandable because heavy rain is depressing, could ruin your hair, damage your clothing, or considerably increase the length of time it takes you to commute.  If it’s raining cats and dogs, maybe that could be your good excuse to not hang out today.

27. It’s too hot or too cold

Another good weather-related excuse to not hang out is blaming your reluctance on the temperature.  It’s either too hot or too cold for you to leave the comfort of your home, which is why you want to reschedule your time together for another day.

28. You have to babysit

Your parents are going out and couldn’t find a babysitter in time so that task fell into your lap. You’d love to come hang out but your younger sibling and parents are counting on you, so you’ll have to cancel.  You’re also not allowed to have guests when you’re supposed to be taking care of your sibling.

29. You injured yourself

You had plans to chill but you just hurt yourself.  It could have been playing a sport, walking down some stairs, at the gym, or anywhere else for that matter.  Whatever the cause, you’re in pain, it’s difficult to move around, and you need to stay home and put some ice (or warmth) on your sprained ankle, jammed wrist, bruised forehead etc.

30. You are going to the gym

This is one of the good excuses for not hanging out if you’re always chilling with someone.  Today it’s time to take care of your body by hitting the gym instead.  You could offer to take said friend along if they want, but you don’t have time to chill on the couch today. Or if you want to go solo then simply say that you can’t focus on your workout routine with someone else around.

31. You are working on your side hustle

Life moves fast and you need to take the time to get your financial situation in order.  Some things take precedence, like your cash flow, and you’re canceling your plans so you can put your head down and grind away.

32. You are training

Exercise is important and to motivate yourself you’ve decided you’re going to run a half-marathon next month.  Seeing as you’re pretty out of shape you’ll need to take every opportunity to train for the event, and that’s why you’re excusing yourself from hanging out today.

33. You are going for a run

You love to have a relaxing afternoon or evening being a couch potato with your friends, but lately, you’ve caught the fitness bug.  As such, you’re inclined to choose to be active over staying sedentary, which is why going running is a great excuse to not hang out.

34. Work called, and they need you to come in

You were just getting ready to leave the house and head over to your friend’s place when work called and requested you come in to cover a shift.  You’re sorry to be making an excuse to not hang out but you’ve made too many excuses to miss work already and need to keep this job – so you’re going in.

35. You are too hungover

This typical Saturday or Sunday excuse to not hang out works well because we’ve all been there.  You were out the night before having a great time, and you made plans to do something the next day.  Well now tomorrow is here and you feel like a bag of garbage, and there’s no way you can suck it up and leave your bed today.

36. You don’t feel like it

Sometimes the truth is the best way to extricate yourself from plans you’d rather not keep.  Especially if you chill a lot, then it will be understandable if today you just want some time to yourself to watch TV, work on a hobby, cook a nice meal or just be with your family.  People will appreciate your honesty, and who knows, maybe they were feeling the same way and will be relieved to have some time to themselves as well.

37. You’re waiting on a delivery

You ordered a new PS5 (or insert another important item) and it’s scheduled for delivery today.  You need to be home to accept the package and sign for it, which means you need to cancel your plans to hang out with friends and wait for the parcel delivery to arrive.

Excuses to not hang out with a guy

If there is a particular guy who keeps asking you to hang out, but you aren’t feeling him, you might not know exactly what to say. Maybe you don’t want to hurt his feelings because he’s a nice guy, but at the same time, you don’t want to hang out with him. Or perhaps he’s a total creep and his feelings are not your concern. The situation may vary, so here is our list of excuses to not hang out with a guy who keeps asking.

1. Your parents won’t let you

It’s not fair and you’re upset about it too, but your parents are a little prudish and don’t want you going to hang out with a guy they don’t really know.  This is a good excuse not to hang out with a guy because it’s believable and could very well be true.  Next time, maybe you should say you’re going to hang out you’re your friend Emma instead.

2. You have too much schoolwork

Your education and your future take precedence, as they should.  You’re not super into him anyways but you still don’t want to hurt his feelings, which is why you’re giving an excuse to get out of seeing a guy.

3. You are going on a date

Too bad, so sad, but you’re going on a date with someone else.  As far as excuses for not hanging out with a guy go, this one is a bit nasty to give to someone because it will make them feel not worthy, and like they lost.  Well maybe that’s the point, in which case, it’s a great reason to use.

4. You like somebody else

Canceling a date shouldn’t be a huge deal, especially if it’s someone new.  If you’re not really into him and he’s being a bit pushy, then you shouldn’t go hang out with him.  It’s better to part ways, and a good option for letting him know it’s not happening between the two of you is to say you’re interested in someone else.

5. You are hanging out with your friends

You can’t be expected to chill with your boyfriend all the time, you need to save some time for your friends too.  That’s why your excuse to not hang out with a guy today could be that you’re going to see your friends instead.

6. You are having lady problems

This is a good excuse to not hang out with a guy that you can use when you really want to get out of date, or don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.  Lady problems happen every month, and they’re a totally believable and legitimate reason to cancel plans on short notice.

7. You think the guy is creepy

“Sorry, but I think you’re kinda creepy”  There you said it, and now that you have, you won’t feel obligated to go hang out with this guy anymore.  It’s not your fault, some people just seem weird to you and you’d rather not be friends, let alone date.  Fair enough, it’s better that both of you go your separate ways as soon as possible.

8. Your pet is sick

We hope it’s not true, but having a sick pet will most likely mean that hanging out with someone isn’t at the top of your list.  After all, pets need care and attention, especially when they’re sick, which makes this a good excuse for not going to hang out with a guy.

9. You have to work early in the morning

You forgot that you were scheduled for an early morning shift tomorrow and that’s why you can’t come out tonight.  Being tired makes your shift seem to go on forever and you also don’t function well without enough rest.

10. You don’t know them well enough

If you’ve just met someone then it might not be time to hang out with them in a one-on-one situation just yet.  We all know that things can move fast, and there’s no blame for feeling uncomfortable, it’s just temporary.  Any guy who actually cares about you won’t be offended by this excuse to not hang out, and will give you time until you’re ready.

Excuses to not hang out with a girl

What if the person wanting to hang out with you constantly is a girl who likes you, but you don’t feel the same way? There are many different excuses to not hang out with her that you can use to let her down gently. Telling the truth about why you don’t want to hang out is also a good option, but if you can’t bring yourself to tell her the real reasons, you can use this list of excuses to not hang out with a girl instead.

1. You think they are too innocent

She likes you and is always texting you to chill but you feel like hanging out with her is like spending time with your younger sister.  She’s just too innocent for you and you feel like you’re a bad influence on her, which is a very respectable excuse to not hang out with a girl.

2. You don’t want to lead them on

It’s obvious that she’s really into you, which is nice and all, but if you’re being honest, it’s not a feeling that you can reciprocate.  Instead of leading her on, you’ve decided to be a gentleman and let her down now instead of making things worse down the road.

3. You are too busy with sports

Being too busy to date someone is a great way to let someone down without hurting any feelings.  You could be so busy with trying to go pro in baseball that you don’t have time to hang out, which should be easy for her to understand.

4. You are going fishing

Instead of hanging out or going on a date, you’d rather grab your fishing rod and hit the lake.  We bet she wishes it was that easy to hook you on the end of her line, but she’ll just have to wait for you to come around, or not.

5. You are broke as a joke

You’re a bit old-fashioned and chivalry runs deep in your veins.  That’s why you don’t want to go on a date without being able to pay at least your share.  Unfortunately, you’re broke and that’s your excuse for not hanging out with a girl.

6. You want to play video games instead

Girls are fun but sometimes you just want to veg out and play video games.  That’s especially true when a new game you love just came out or you’ve got your bros coming over to play.  As an excuse to not hang out with her, it’s a bit childish, but it will get you out of your date at least for today.

7. You need some downtime

It’s been a busy and hectic week so all you want to do is kick off your shoes and relax.  You need some quiet time alone to recharge, and that’s why you’re blowing her off today.  It’s an honest excuse and while she may not like it, at least you are being true to what you want.

8. You are going out of town

Maybe an opportunity presented itself, or maybe your parents are forcing you to come along, but you’re going on an impromptu trip out of town.  This is a good excuse to not hang out with a girl that could work for a number of days or even longer, and get you off the hook for a while.

9. You are going to see your parents

You don’t get a lot of time off, or at least not a lot of opportunity to go see your folks, so when you get a chance, you take it.  You might have to explain why you’re not taking her with you, but this excuse to not hang out with a girl is easy to produce at any time and generally won’t hurt too many feelings.

10. Your place is too messy, you need to clean it

You would like her to come over but you didn’t get a chance to clean up.  Being the neat freak that you are, you just wouldn’t be comfortable hosting anyone in your messy place right now, and you want to reschedule.  She’ll probably say she really doesn’t care about the state of your home, so you’ll just have to be firm and assertive in saying no, you’re not hanging out today.

Excuses to not hang out with family

Sometimes it’s your family that you need to escape from. It could be a clingy brother or sister who always wants to hang out, or perhaps it’s your mom or dad. It could also be your cousin you’re making excuses to not hang out with. Avoiding plans with your family might make you feel guilty, but if you really don’t feel like seeing them, try this list of excuses to not hang out with your family.

1. Your friend needs help

You’d love to spend some time (wink wink) but your friend needs your help today.  It could be to move some furniture, to help with a school project, to lend some moral support etc. but they need you, so plans with your family will need to wait for another day.

2. You have too much schoolwork

The projects have been piling up and you need to take the time to work through everything.  Your family definitely wants the best for your future, so using the school work excuse to not hang out with them is a good way to get yourself off the hook without hurting any feelings.

3. You are not feeling well

Nobody would expect you to hang out if you’re feeling sick, especially your caring family.  This excuse might not work well if you live at home (and aren’t sick) but if you’re away at school or living on your own, then have at it – it works every time.

4. Something happened that you don’t want to talk about and just want to be left alone

Sometimes things happen that you’d rather not discuss, or just aren’t ready to let people in on.  That’s totally fair and it should get you out of visiting your folks, but it will also leave them a bit worried as to what’s going on.

5. You are volunteering

How noble of you, to volunteer your time for a good cause.  Your parents won’t be mad, even if they are a little upset that they won’t get to spend time with you today.  You’ll just have to make it up to them another time, but if you need to break plans, this could be the excuse to not hang out with your family that you’re looking for.

Funny excuses to not hang out

Humor is always a good recipe to take the sting out of bailing on someone you know was looking forward to hanging out with you.  Even if you’re obviously not serious, you can always follow up your joke excuse with a real one like you’re busy, or seeing your parents.  Funny excuses to not hang out are also a good way to gently drop hints that maybe you don’t really want to see this person all that much.

1. You wish you could but you’d really rather not

If you want to mess with someone’s mind then this is your go-to funny excuse for not hanging.  They’ll likely do a double-take “like what?!?” before they figure out that you’re just joking (mostly).

2. You have some videotapes you need to return

A throwback excuse from a couple of decades ago, you need to return those Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme VHS tapes before you get hit with late fees.  It’s a ridiculous excuse but it gets your point across in a funny way.

3. You’re already enrolled in a solitaire tournament

What does it say about your friendship is a solitaire tournament is more important to you than hanging out?  It’s probably not a good sign for your friendship so don’t be surprised if your friend gets a bit offended if you drop this excuse to not hang out with them.

4. You can’t because you just woke up

Yeah, that’s right.  You woke up at 6 pm today and as such, you won’t have time to hang out tonight.  Shower, bathroom, “breakfast” etc.  Sorry, no time to chill… maybe tomorrow.

5. Let’s reschedule for next week so I have time to come up with another excuse

You can use this excuse for not hanging out with someone if you’ve been making a lot of excuses for them already lately.  It’s a good one to throw at the end of another reason because it acknowledges your recent evasive behavior in a humorous manner in an attempt to deflect any hurt feelings.

6. Your horoscope said you shouldn’t leave the house

You’ve turned superstitious since the last time you hung out with so-and-so, which is why when you read your horoscope and it said that the world is not your oyster for the day, you figured it’s best to just stay in and hide from the world.

7. I just don’t like you

It’s plain, it’s simple and it’s straight to the point.  This excuse for not hanging out can also be used two ways – one to let someone know they’ve been cut off, and two, as a jokingly passive-aggressive way to get someone to stop incessantly trying to chill with you.

8. You’ve got a date with your right hand

It’s funny how often this is probably exactly the reason why someone doesn’t want to go hang out.  They’re horny and chilling with friends and shooting the shit doesn’t sound as exciting as whatever else they have planned…

9. You’ve got a conjuring that day

You could hang out, but then you’d be ostracized by your new cult, ahem, we mean social club.  This excuse could be a funny tongue-in-cheek go-to for the more experimental people out there though, like if dnd is your jam, and black is your color, then a conjuring could be a funny joke of an excuse to use.

10. You don’t need the hassle of getting dressed

Uninspired much?  It will certainly seem like it when your excuse for not going to hang out is that you can’t be bothered to put on clothes. At this point, you might as well not even offer an excuse and just say no.

11. The internet needs your complete attention today

Instagram, TikTok, Reddit – you’ve got a lot going on today and won’t have time to come hang out in the real world.  It’s not even that far-fetched of an excuse to not hang out with someone because the internet can be a very interesting and seriously captivating place.  Get your snacks, and a drink – the online rabbit hole awaits.

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There you have it! The most comprehensive list of excuses not to hang out. Did we miss any excuses? If so, let us know by leaving a comment on what has worked for you.