20 Funniest Excuses People Gave for Being Late
FUNNY FACTS
We’ve all been late at some point, but some people take creativity to a whole new level. From blaming imaginary pets to outlandish stories that sound like movie plots, these 20 hilarious excuses for being late will make you laugh out loud—and maybe even inspire your next “late to work” story. Get ready to giggle as we count down the funniest excuses people actually used (and somehow got away with)!
1. “I Got Trapped in My Own Apartment”
One guy claimed his doorknob broke, and he was literally trapped in his own apartment. He had to call maintenance to rescue him... from his own front door. Talk about a homebody!
2. “My Cat Buried My Keys”
Apparently, cats aren’t just cute—they’re also master pranksters. One woman said her cat buried her car keys in the litter box. She had to “dig” her way to work—literally.
3. “I Was Chased by a Goose”
Geese can be aggressive, but this guy swore he was ambushed by a particularly angry one on his way to work. He spent 20 minutes hiding behind a tree until the goose lost interest. Honk if you’ve been there!
4. “I Got Stuck in a Hammock”
One person claimed they got tangled up trying to get out of a hammock and were stuck for over an hour before managing to free themselves. Hammock Houdini, anyone?
5. “I Swallowed a Mosquito and Choked”
Yep, someone actually used this excuse. They claimed they inhaled a mosquito while biking to work and spent 15 minutes coughing it out. Protein shake, anyone?
6. “My Dog Ate My Shoe”
Not homework—an actual shoe. The person claimed their dog chewed one of their work shoes, and they had to dig through the closet to find a matching pair. Puppy problems are real!
7. “I Was Too Comfortable”
One employee admitted they hit the snooze button because their bed was just too comfortable to leave. Honesty is the best policy, right? At least they didn’t blame it on traffic!
8. “I Had to Rescue a Sloth”
This person claimed they found a sloth crossing the road and couldn’t leave until it made it safely across. True or not, you can’t argue with saving a sloth’s life.
9. “I Accidentally Put My Shirt on Backwards and Had to Redo Everything”
Ever had one of those mornings? This person said they were halfway to work before realizing their shirt was inside out, and had to go home to fix the “wardrobe malfunction.”
10. “My Psychic Told Me to Avoid Traffic Today”
Blaming traffic is one thing, but blaming a psychic’s prediction is next-level. Apparently, the stars just weren’t aligned for punctuality.
11. “My Grandma’s Ghost Locked Me Out”
One person claimed their deceased grandmother’s ghost was haunting their house and locked them out. It’s hard to argue with the supernatural!
12. “I Saw a Double Rainbow and Had to Take Pictures”
Hey, double rainbows don’t happen every day! This person said they were “emotionally overwhelmed” and just had to document the magic. Priorities, right?
13. “I Got Trapped in My Bathroom”
Similar to the apartment door story, this person said the doorknob fell off, and they were trapped in their bathroom until a roommate came home. You’d think they were living in a haunted house!
14. “I Thought It Was Sunday”
Ever had that moment of panic when you realize it’s Monday? This person genuinely thought it was Sunday and didn’t get up until they checked their phone. Oops!
15. “My GPS Took Me to the Wrong Place”
Apparently, the GPS didn’t just misdirect them—it took them to a completely different city. Either that’s a terrible GPS or the worst sense of direction ever.
16. “I Was Caught in a Flash Mob”
This person claimed they accidentally walked into a flash mob performance and couldn’t leave because the crowd was too thick. Sure, blame it on spontaneous choreography.
17. “I Locked Myself in My Car”
Wait, what? This person said they accidentally hit the child lock while inside the car and couldn’t get out. They had to wait for someone to rescue them. A new level of helplessness!
18. “My Contact Lenses Were Fighting Me”
Ever had a day when nothing goes right? This person spent 30 minutes wrestling with their contact lenses before finally getting them in. Vision over punctuality!
19. “I Saw a Celebrity and Had to Get an Autograph”
Starstruck and unapologetic! They said they saw their favorite celebrity at a coffee shop and couldn’t pass up the opportunity. At least they got a cool story out of it!
20. “I Forgot How to Tie a Tie”
This person stood in front of the mirror for half an hour trying to remember how to tie a necktie. YouTube tutorials saved the day, but not the clock.
Which Excuse Made You Laugh the Most?
Which of these funny excuses for being late made you laugh out loud? Have you ever used a creative excuse yourself? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to share this list with your friends—you never know who might need a good excuse (or a good laugh) someday!