layoff 1 of 2

noun

ˈlā-ˌȯf How to pronounce layoff (audio)
Definition of layoffnext
1
as in dismissal
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily even senior employees lost their jobs in the massive layoff

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in winter
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness after such a long layoff the boxer badly needed to get back into shape

Synonyms & Similar Words

lay off

2 of 2

verb

as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end you need to lay off eating those jelly doughnuts, or you'll end up looking like one

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of layoff
Noun
Casar has been on a media blitz pitching progressives’ AI proposals, which have ranged from a ban on AI superintelligence to a tax on the technology to pay for a jobs program that offsets related layoffs. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2026 For others, the honest answer is closer to the layoff being the plan, with AI supplying the framing after the fact. — Avy Punwasee, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
In case the winning bidder does not continue racing, the track will have to lay off its workforce. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026 With that transition, Republic National plans to close sites in Charlotte and Raleigh, laying off 39 and 14 people, respectively. — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
  1. dismissal
  2. winter
  3. stop
  4. firing
  5. break
  6. cease
  7. furlough
  8. downtime
Noun
  • That Penn State failed to use the long runway given with Franklin’s October dismissal didn’t help things.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Iraola’s dismissal came as a surprise to a number of his players, although Catala, who later managed Larnaca, explains that there is a volatility to decision-making in Cyprus if form deteriorates.
    — Andy Jones, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of dismissal
Noun
  • Fireplaces are stocked with fragrant piñon wood, making winter stays especially cozy, while silk covers conceal TVs and handmade Le Creuset dishware keep modern amenities from disrupting the mood.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Like everyone in Colorado, officials at Vail Resorts are hoping for a snowy winter with lots of powder for skiers and snowboarders.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of winter
Verb
  • The aid workers who once regularly visited her village to help pregnant women had stopped coming, after foreign aid cuts by the United States shuttered a program aimed at saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop
Noun
  • The exposé alleged that Gomez was trying to distance herself from the company and outlined the messy firing of chief executive Daniella Pierson.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • More than 10 individual firings, between 900-910°C, were needed to create the clock.
    — Ming Liu, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of firing
Noun
  • Give Rice a break Maybe the Yankees can’t sit Rice on Sunday against Dylan Cease, perhaps the best righty starter in the league not named Schilttler.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The risk is trying to fix everything at once or overhelping until your own system breaks.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of break
Verb
  • Workers at the nonprofit were laid off after the money went missing, and the organization eventually ceased operating.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Combs' team issued two cease-and-desist letters to Netflix in response to the documentary's release.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of cease
Noun
  • In fact, furlough transfers where minimum security inmates transfer from prison to prison are routine, allowing inmates the opportunity to catch their own ride to their next destination.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The district plan also includes unpaid furlough days for workers, but employees unions so far are not going along.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of furlough
Noun
  • The downtime is a natural consequence of Sunshine State conditions versus a wooden coaster, said Cory Lytle, tech services director at Legoland Florida Resort in Winter Haven.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • There may be downtime during the transition, which Amazon Game Studios will communicate as developments continue.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of downtime

Browse Nearby Words

laymen
layoff
lay off
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Cite this Entry

“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of layoff for Spanish Speakers

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