Meaning & use
clocking out
Last updated
“clocking out” is a form of “clock out”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitive
Recording the time you finish work, usually by swiping a card or pressing a button at your workplace.
Grammar: No object is needed: she is clocking out at five. You can also say clocking off in British English.
Patterns
- clocking out at five
- clocking out for the day
He is clocking out early today to see the dentist.
The staff were clocking out when the alarm went off.
Remember to swipe your card when clocking out.
verbintransitiveinformalfigurative
Stopping work for the day, or deliberately stopping paying attention to work matters, even without recording the time.
Grammar: No object; often followed by a time or for the day: clocking out for the weekend.
Patterns
- clocking out of something
I'm clocking out of emails until Monday.
She felt like she was clocking out mentally during the long meeting.
After the project ended, the team was clocking out for a well-earned break.
Word forms
| base form | clock out |
|---|---|
| third person singular | clocks out |
| past tense | clocked out |
| past participle | clocked out |
| -ing form | clocking out |
Common combinations
- clocking out early
- He was clocking out early on Fridays this summer.
- clocking out for lunch
- Employees are clocking out for lunch at noon.
- clocking out on time
- She prides herself on clocking out on time.
- forget about clocking out
- I often forget about clocking out and have to ask for a correction.
- clocking out for the night
- The security guard was clocking out for the night.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clocking off
- Clocking off is the usual British form, whereas clocking out is common in American English and in both varieties.
- finishing work
- Finishing work is a plain description and does not imply that a time record is made.
- signing out
- Signing out suggests a written or digital record, and can be used for leaving any place, not only a job.
- knocking off
- Knocking off is more casual and suggests simply stopping work, without any recorded time.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: clocking out or clocking in?
clocking out vs clocking in
Clocking in is the opposite action, recording your arrival, while clocking out records your departure.
Practice
Maya is ___ at six, so she will leave the office soon.
Choose one answer.
Clocking out means recording the time you finish work. Clocking in is for arriving, and the other options do not fit leaving work.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “clocking out”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.