play telephone tag

play telephone tag

To engage in a series of telephone calls with another person in which each time one party calls, the other is not available to answer. Hi Mary, just leaving you another message. We've been playing a bit of telephone tag today, huh? Just give me a call back whenever you get this, thanks!
See also: play, tag, telephone
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • play phone tag
  • tag
  • phone tag
  • telephone tag
  • be taking calls
  • taking calls
  • rings a bell, that
  • tough call
  • duty calls
  • battle
References in periodicals archive
Employees make fewer calls because they don't have to play telephone tag. Those conversations also are shorter because there is less social chit-chat when sending a message to a voice mail box.
The pros of voice mail
"You don't have to play telephone tag, which is aggravated by time and distance."
The Finnish connection: the past year wasn't the best time to start a real-estate development company, but a partner in Finland helps
I commented to him one day that it was always a pleasure calling him because we never have to play telephone tag. His response was, "I don't like wasting time, so I answer my phone."
Secrets of successful time management