25+ Valid Excuses for Missing a Meeting (+ What to Do If You Have to Miss One)

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Learn the best things to say when you just can't make that meeting
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If you're going to have to miss a meeting but can't come up with a good excuse, you've come to the right place! Keep reading for all the best excuses when you just can't make it to that meeting but don't want anyone to get too upset. Plus, we talked to professional certified coach Brandy DeOrnellas to find out what you should do after you miss a meeting at work to maintain a good professional reputation.

Good Excuses for Missing a Meeting

  • Try a tech-related excuse for virtual meetings, such as saying your Wi-Fi is down.
  • Use a health excuse, such as saying you have food poisoning or diarrhea.
  • Tell people you're overwhelmed or burnt out and won't be able to focus.
  • Blame severe weather for your inability to attend a meeting.
Section 1 of 9:

Tech Excuses

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  1. Sometimes Wi-Fi networks can be awfully finicky! If your attendance is expected at a virtual meeting, trouble connecting is pretty much the easiest reason in the book to justify your absence. Unfortunately, though, this one won't really help you with in-person meetings.
    • For example, you might text the person in charge and say, "For some reason my computer can't see my network. I'm gonna shut everything down and try again. Sorry!"
    • If it doesn't seem feasible that your Wi-Fi would be down, you might say that someone changed the password and you don't know how to access the network.
    • Wi-Fi trouble is a decent excuse if you're running late to a virtual meeting but think you will be able to get there eventually. It buys you time to get where you need to be, then you can simply claim that you fixed whatever the issue was.
  2. 2
    Computer hardware issues This is another one that's typically only helpful for virtual meetings. If it's time for the meeting and your hard drive suddenly crashes, people will typically understand why you weren't able to make it. Other parts of a computer can also fail and make it impossible to continue to operate the computer.
    • For example, you might say, "My computer started acting all buggy and after I restarted it the screen is just blank. I don't think I'm going to make that meeting this afternoon."
    • You could even claim that you were unable to get your keyboard to work. Without a keyboard, you can't type in your password to access the virtual meeting.
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  3. A forgotten or compromised password can serve as a reason you can't get to a virtual meeting—in a pinch. Since this is usually a problem that can be resolved relatively quickly, it's best if you're just going to be late, rather than missing the meeting entirely.
    • For example, you might text the person who called the meeting and say, "I forgot my password and it's blocked me after too many attempts. Give me a minute to get this sorted and I'll be right there." That gives you a few minutes to get yourself together so you can make an appearance if necessary.
  4. 4
    Software glitches Virtual meetings are typically held through some sort of software platform, such as Zoom. You have little to no control over server errors or software malfunctions on the part of whatever service is hosting the virtual meeting, which makes this a perfect—as well as perfectly inexplicable—excuse.
    • For example, you might say, "I kept logging in and then it kept kicking me out as an unauthorized user. I don't know what's going on. I'm going to try changing my password."
    • Unlike a lot of the tech excuses, this one can actually be used for in-person meetings as well. For example, you could claim that your navigation system glitched and sent you to the wrong location.
  5. Did you plug one too many things in and accidentally blow a fuse? Oops! Guess you're not going to be able to make that virtual meeting because now you've got to figure out the problem so you can get everything up and running again.
    • This is one you can also be pretty vague about if you're just using it as an excuse to buy you some time. For example, you might say, "Power keeps flickering, I don't know what's going on. Give me 5-10 minutes to make sure everything's stable over here."
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Section 2 of 9:

Health Excuses

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  1. The best options here are illnesses that take you completely out of the game, but only for a day or so—just long enough for you to, unfortunately, miss that meeting. A simple cold typically isn't enough, especially if the meeting is virtual.
    • Stomach ailments, such as food poisoning, are often good excuses even if the meeting is virtual. Nobody wants you to appear at the meeting from the toilet!
    • Try something disgusting or embarrassing—people will avoid asking you any further questions about it. Chances are, your boss doesn't want to hear all the details about your explosive diarrhea.
  2. 2
    Illness or death in your family If you have a serious illness, or have to care for someone in your family who has a serious illness, that's a perfectly legitimate excuse to miss a meeting. This is especially true if you have a doctor's appointment that conflicts with the time of the meeting.
    • If you've lost a family member, time to grieve and be with your family is also totally understandable.
    • Be aware that some institutions and employers require proof of the death of a family member, such as a copy of the obituary or funeral program. [1]
  3. The thing about an injury is that you usually have to tend to it right away, even if it ultimately turns out not to be a big deal. This type of excuse can be as simple as tripping and falling on your way out the door or as complex as a car accident.
    • You might also have to take care of someone else who is injured. If they're relying on you to be with them, that's a perfectly legit reason to miss a meeting.
    • Keep in mind that this excuse works better if it's an accident or injury that just happened, rather than something chronic that you could've worked around.
  4. 4
    Quarantine or exposure risk If you've been exposed to COVID-19 or another contagious disease and you're currently quarantining, you might use that as an excuse to miss any in-person meetings. Unless you have severe symptoms, though, you might be expected to participate virtually.
    • For example, you might say, "I just learned my daughter has COVID-19. She's asymptomatic but I'm afraid I'll have to miss the meeting because I've been exposed and don't want to put everyone else at risk."
    • This excuse also works for in-person meetings if you're worried about being exposed to contagious diseases. It's best if you let the people in charge know well in advance and see if arrangements can be made for you to participate virtually.
  5. If you've ever had a condition such as asthma flare-up or had an allergic reaction to something, you know that these are really debilitating in the short-term. And even after the attack, it can take some time for you to get settled and feel normal again. Not to mention that some allergy attacks come with migraine headaches, which can take hours to get rid of.
    • For example, you might say, "Something's triggered my allergies and my nose won't stop running. I feel miserable. I'm afraid I'll have to skip the meeting this morning."
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Section 3 of 9:

Existential Excuses

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  1. When you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, you just don't have the energy to do everything you have to do. While you can still do some things, feeling overwhelmed is a perfectly legitimate excuse to skip out on that meeting that probably could've been an email. [2]
    • It's okay if you don't feel comfortable explaining this to whoever you need to tell that you're missing the meeting. You could simply say something like, "I'm having a really tough day today and I need to scale back on my commitments, so I won't be able to come to the meeting."
  2. 2
    Burnout If you let yourself stay overwhelmed for too long, burnout can set in, At this point, a mental health day or two would likely do you a world of good. But since the internalized pressure to be productive is part of what leads to burnout in the first place, it can be really hard to make the decision to scale back on your obligations and take some time to yourself. [3]
    • DeOrnellas notes that "we all need mental health days—they are just as important as days we take to recover from being sick."
    • "If you don't feel comfortable providing details," DeOrnellas continues, "you can say something as simple as '[I] need to take a day for my health. I'll see you [tomorrow] morning.'"
  3. If people are attending the meeting virtually from all over the world, it's possible that the meeting is held at a time that's just not great for you. What's convenient for most people might be the middle of the night for you. If the time doesn't work for you, that's a totally reasonable excuse not to be there.
    • Keep in mind that people who are planning an event with a lot of attendees in different time zones typically don't expect everybody to show up. They just choose a time that seems to work for the largest slice of people.
    • If this is something that occurs on a regular basis, you might tell someone in charge that you'd prefer if the meetings were held at a different time at least occasionally so that you could participate.
  4. 4
    Exhaustion Sometimes you're just worn out and it's okay to admit that you're just worn out. Taking some time to recover when you're exhausted will be better for you in the long run than trying to keep pushing yourself.
    • If you get some pushback on this excuse, you might tell them that because you're so exhausted, you're going to have a hard time paying attention or contributing effectively.
  5. You could be the most organized person on the planet and it would still probably happen that you write down the wrong date or time for a meeting. It's also possible that you overslept your alarm, or forgot to even set it, or set it for the wrong time. Mistakes are what make you a human—they don't mean that you're a disrespectful or unprofessional person. [4]
    • The best thing to do here is just be honest. As long as it's not something you're saying every other day, most people will be totally understanding about it. After all, chances are they've done the same thing at some point in their life.
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Section 4 of 9:

Environmental Excuses

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  1. If you live in a place where hurricanes, tornadoes, or similar weather events are a threat, you're likely no stranger to severe weather alerts. These alerts are designed to keep you safe by warning you so that you don't take any unnecessary risks—and typically, attending an in-person meeting would be such a risk.
    • This could apply to virtual meetings as well, particularly if there's a wind or lightning threat such that you shouldn't be on your computer or Wi-Fi is likely to be unreliable.
  2. 2
    Storm aftermath After a storm has rolled through, you're often still not out of the woods. There might be damage that needs to be repaired or debris that needs to be cleared. In that situation, it totally makes sense to take care of what you need to take care of instead of sitting in a meeting.
    • In the aftermath of a storm, Wi-Fi and cellular service are typically pretty spotty, so this excuse works for virtual meetings as well.
  3. It might sound weird, but there are times when a pest infestation can reach the level that you have to miss a meeting to take care of it. This doesn't necessarily mean millions of bugs have descended on your home—it could just as easily mean that you have a rabid raccoon trapped in your laundry room and you're waiting on wildlife handlers to come take care of it.
    • For example, you might say, "I'm really sorry, but I've got some squirrels that just ran into my house and are ransacking my kitchen! I'm afraid I won't be able to come to the meeting this afternoon because I've got to get this situation under control!"
  4. 4
    Flooding This could happen in the aftermath of a storm, but it could also happen for other reasons, such as if a pipe burst under your house or if your toilet backed up and overflowed. When there's any amount of flooding, you typically have to take care of it right away if you want to prevent more extensive water damage—so you'd likely have no choice but to miss a meeting.
    • For example, you might say, "My kid just tried to flush one of their toys down the toilet and it's backed up and flooded the whole bathroom. I'm not going to be able to make it to the meeting—I've got to get this mess cleaned up."
  5. Power outages often accompany severe weather—and it's not just storms. Extreme cold or heat can put a strain on the local grid and cause outages as well. While this is a better excuse if you have to miss a virtual meeting, it could work for in-person meetings as well depending on the other circumstances.
    • For example, if you've been out of power for 3 days in the middle of summer and haven't taken a shower, other meeting attendees would probably totally understand if you didn't want to be there for that reason.
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Section 5 of 9:

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  1. Anything happening with your partner, your parents, or any other member of your family falls into this category of excuses. Often, something like this will be too sensitive for you to want to go into detail about, especially if you're talking to someone who you don't feel particularly close to.
    • In this situation, you can give a hint as to the reason without going into too much detail. The way you say it sends the message not to pry.
    • For example, you might say, "I'm sorry I missed the meeting. My partner and I were resolving a housekeeping issue." That sounds so much nicer than saying you were arguing over chores but clearly indicates that you don't want to go into detail about what was discussed.
  2. 2
    Special occasion The reason for missing a meeting doesn't always have to be a bad thing. If the meeting happens to conflict with a birthday party, your niece's graduation, or your parents' 30th wedding anniversary, by all means, go celebrate! These are the memories that make up your life and you don't want to miss them.
    • It's often good here to reassure the person about how important their meeting is. For example, you might say, "I'm sorry I won't make it to the meeting. I know you've been planning this for months, but I have to help with a surprise party for my mom's birthday."
  3. Yes, they're part of your family, but kids get their own separate category because there are just so many things that kids could potentially get into that would cause you to miss a meeting. This is especially true if you have toddlers or preschool-age kids.
    • For example, you might say, "Sorry I missed the meeting—little Tommy had glued himself to the dog."
  4. 4
    Unexpected visitor Did your uncle just show up on your doorstep unannounced after a four-hour drive and ask you to show him around the city? Unfortunately, that might mean that you have to miss a meeting—but most people will understand.
    • The unexpected nature is what makes this excuse valid. If the visit was planned, then you would've had the chance to schedule things around the meeting.
  5. It's really basic, but if you're a busy person, it's likely that at some point you'll have to deal with having 2 things scheduled at the same time. In that situation, the best thing to do is figure out which one is most important and then tell the other that you have to do that instead.
    • For example, you might say, "I'm sorry that I have to miss your meeting. My SCUBA test is scheduled for the same time and I have to pass that before we go to Bermuda on Sunday."
    • This is a pretty easy excuse if you're required to be at one thing and not the other because you actually don't have any choice.
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Section 6 of 9:

Extreme Excuses

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  1. What if a fortune teller told you that you would die a painful death if you left your house today? If you believed that fortune teller, that would be a pretty powerful reason not to show up at a meeting—and so would a similar prediction based on your astrological charts.
    • You could also use this excuse as a sort of joke if people already know that you're not going to show up to the meeting and aren't bothered by it.
    • It's probably not a good idea to use this excuse if you have to miss a school- or work-related meeting. The people in charge might not take too kindly to it.
  2. 2
    Missing person When someone goes missing, time is of the essence. You might've heard that the first 48 hours are the most crucial. If someone you love goes missing and you have a meeting that's supposed to take place within those first 48 hours? It's safe to say this is a good excuse to skip that meeting.
  3. While it might not be incredibly common for people to go missing, it's often a little more common for people to be the victim of a crime or to see a crime being committed. When that happens, you usually have to wait quite a while for police to come and take a report.
    • You're also likely to be so caught up in the moment that you wouldn't even think about the fact that you were missing a meeting until you'd already missed it.
    • While this can be a relatively uncommon excuse, most people will accept it as valid if you show them a copy of your police report.
  4. 4
    Performance of an act of heroism Did you have to stop and rescue a puppy from a river, or a kitten from a tree? Did you save a woman and her baby from a burning car? These are all perfectly legitimate excuses to miss a meeting. Even if someone is inclined to think that your story isn't 100% true, it would be a bad look for them to get upset at you for missing a meeting because of something like this.
    • Keep in mind, also, that a lot of these rescue situations require a lot of debriefing afterward. You'll likely need to speak to police and medical professionals and describe what you did.
  5. This excuse is more likely to be accepted on some days (think April Fool's Day) than others, but the fact remains that there are some people out there for whom pranking is a year-round pursuit. Some pranks can be pretty messy and extremely disruptive, causing you to need to miss a meeting.
    • For example, if a gallon of paint spills over your head when you open your front door, you're going to have a lot of work to do before you're ready to attend a meeting, either in-person or virtually.
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Section 7 of 9:

Apologizing for a Missed Meeting

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  1. When you have to miss a meeting, you're potentially wasting other people's time and effort. An apology shows that you respect them and regret any inconvenience you might have caused them. [5]
    • For example, you might say, "I'm sorry I missed the meeting. My cousins showed up unannounced and I had to figure out what to do with them. Hopefully, it won't happen again."
    • Since it's best to apologize as soon as possible, it's sometimes easier to reach out via email or text, then follow up later in person. For example, you might write, "Hey everybody—I'm so sorry I missed the meeting. I ran into a bit of trouble with my car on the way there. I'll explain later."
Section 8 of 9:

What to Do After Missing a Meeting

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  1. Ideally, you should even tell them before the meeting if you can. This is especially true if it's a one-on-one meeting—otherwise, they're going to show up and wonder where you're at. [6]
    • In a work-related situation, DeOrnellas recommends that you "let your employer know as soon as you realize" that you're going to miss the meeting.
  2. 2
    Explain your situation briefly and politely. Think of your excuse as simply explaining where you were and what you were doing, other than being at the meeting. Avoid going into too much detail, just apologize, give the reason, and be done with it. [7]
    • If you've missed a meeting at work, DeOrnellas recommends getting into the office as quickly as possible: "When you arrive at work, you can share why you're late... Assuming an issue isn't a frequent occurrence, your employer will understand."
    • "If you have a more personal reason," DeOrnellas continues, "just share what you feel comfortable sharing. You might say something like, 'I'm so sorry I'm late. I had a challenging morning.'"
  3. This is really important for one-on-one meetings or meetings that you were supposed to participate in directly and actively. When you take the initiative to offer an alternative, it shows that you actually cared about attending the meeting and are genuinely sorry that you had to miss it. [8]
    • For example, you might say, "I'm sorry my daughter's birthday party kept me from attending the chapter meeting on Wednesday. Can we meet for coffee Friday morning and discuss it? My treat!"
    • Alternatives are important if the person put forth effort to plan the meeting. You're basically assuring them that they don't have to go to all that trouble again.
    • For example, you might say, "I'm sorry I missed our interview on Monday—I had a family emergency. Would you be available on Wednesday afternoon? I'd be happy to host this time."
  4. This step is more important if the meeting was school- or work-related, or if your attendance was required for some reason. You just want to make sure that people's expectations of you haven't changed because you missed that one meeting. [9]
    • If you're worried about your professional reputation, focus on being a little early for all meetings for at least the next couple of months.
    • Avoid continuously bringing it up or talking about whatever your excuse was. Even if people didn't believe you or accept your excuse at first, they'll likely forget all about it as long as it doesn't become an issue again.
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Section 9 of 9:

Preventing Missed Meetings

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  1. There are lots of scheduling apps available, most of which you can set up to sync across multiple devices. They also have sharing options, so you can share your calendar with people and avoid getting double-booked. [10]
    • Schedule and set reminders for regular maintenance and other monthly or semi-regular tasks. That will make it less likely that you end up getting caught off-guard by some maintenance issue that you need to take care of right away.
    • Set reminders for special occasions a couple of weeks ahead of the date so you have plenty of time to plan.
  2. If you're someone who's frequently late or misses meetings because you can't find something that you desperately need, this one's for you. Start with the last thing that caused you to miss a meeting and set up a system for that, then go from there. [11]
    • For example, if you had to miss a meeting because you couldn't find your keys, you might try placing a hook by the door to hang your keys on. If you get in the habit of always hanging your keys on the hook, you'll never be late because you can't find your keys.
    • Remember that the best organization system is the one that works best for you, and that might not be the one that someone else swears by.
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      Warnings

      • Only use a joke excuse if you're certain that everyone involved is in on the joke. Otherwise, it's far better to just tell the truth. Even if the real reason is slightly embarrassing, it's still better than getting a reputation for dishonesty. DeOrnellas cautions: "Whatever you share, be honest. Our colleagues—like all people—value honesty."
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      References

      1. ↑ https://uh.edu/provost/students/student-policies/excused-absence-policy/index
      2. ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/11/feeling-overwhelmed-heres-how-to-get-through-the-workday
      3. ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/11/feeling-overwhelmed-heres-how-to-get-through-the-workday
      4. ↑ https://www.inc.com/anita-newton/missed-a-meeting-arrived-late-mispronounced-a-name-what-to-do-after-you-screw-up.html
      5. ↑ https://career.uga.edu/news/what_to_do_if_you_missed_an_interview
      6. ↑ https://career.uga.edu/news/what_to_do_if_you_missed_an_interview
      7. ↑ https://career.uga.edu/news/what_to_do_if_you_missed_an_interview
      8. ↑ https://www.inc.com/anita-newton/missed-a-meeting-arrived-late-mispronounced-a-name-what-to-do-after-you-screw-up.html
      9. ↑ https://www.inc.com/anita-newton/missed-a-meeting-arrived-late-mispronounced-a-name-what-to-do-after-you-screw-up.html
      1. ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1042&title=time-management-10-strategies-for-better-time-management
      2. ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1042&title=time-management-10-strategies-for-better-time-management

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