Meaning & use
out of office hours
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Outside the normal working hours of an office or business.
Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase, often after the verb or at the end of a clause.
Patterns
- be out of office hours
- call someone out of office hours
- out of office hours
The support line is only available out of office hours.
Please do not contact me out of office hours unless it is urgent.
Deliveries are made out of office hours to avoid disturbing staff.
Common combinations
- out of office hours
- The doctor can be reached out of office hours by phone.
- during office hours
- Please call during office hours, not out of office hours.
- outside office hours
- The building is locked outside office hours.
Synonyms and how they differ
- after hours
- More common in American English and often means after the usual closing time, especially for bars or shops.
- outside business hours
- A slightly more formal phrase that can be used for any business, not just an office.
Opposites
Commonly confused: out of office hours or after hours?
out of office hours vs after hours
In British English 'after hours' often means after a pub or shop has closed, while 'out of office hours' is more general and usually about office work.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Out of office hours' is a fixed phrase; the plural 'hours' is always used and no article is needed. The other options change the fixed wording.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “out of office hours”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.