Definition
someone's lack of effort or enthusiasm in performing a task
Examples
1) Dennis used to be a dedicated employee, but lately, he's been phoning it
in at work.
2) Instead of preparing a proper meal, I just phoned it in and ordered takeout.
Etymology
It originated in the context of actors delivering their lines over the phone
instead of being physically present on stage.
Synonyms
mail it in, half-hearted effort
- englishdaily626.com [edited]
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Long before Covid, I had accepted that grinding away at a software job was not
exact the same as practicing computer programming. Gone was the illusion that
success was the byproduct of my single-minded strive toward the perfection of
the art. During the pandemic, we all phoned it in from home and that was when I
started quiet-quitting. Going back to office two years later, I was ready.
