# check is in the mail

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/check-is-in-the-mail
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A common excuse used by debtors to put off creditors.

## Examples

- He keeps saying the check is in the mail.
- I asked my tenant about the unpaid rent, but he just told me the check is in the mail again.
- Despite his repeated promises that the check is in the mail, the contractor has yet to receive payment for the work completed months ago.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.