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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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
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Recent Examples of layoff
Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Less than a week after announcing layoffs that will hit 10% of the city’s workforce, the Harvey City Council faced a packed room at Monday night’s meeting.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2025
The staffers, whose responsibilities included helping protect students and teachers from discrimination, assisting college financial aid offices and compiling data about the nation's schools, were laid off in March.
—USA Today, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
The federal layoffs come at a time when that workforce is aging, with double the number of retirement-age employees than employees in their 20s, an analysis of Office of Personnel Management's 2022 data shows.
—Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Less than a week after announcing layoffs that will hit 10% of the city’s workforce, the Harvey City Council faced a packed room at Monday night’s meeting.
—Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 July 2025
Verb
The rookie might not be used to laying off the dark uniforms in team drills elsewhere.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2025
The staffers, whose responsibilities included helping protect students and teachers from discrimination, assisting college financial aid offices and compiling data about the nation's schools, were laid off in March.
—USA Today, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
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But the Trump administration said Maddox instead should’ve taken his cue from the Supreme Court’s May decision allowing the president to fire Democratic members of two federal labor boards while the former members challenge their dismissals.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
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Right now, all Broward students are prohibited from using their cellphones from the morning bell until dismissal, under a policy the School Board passed last year in hopes of improving mental health and academics among students.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
Then as now, the facilities shut down in the winter.—
Tom Zoellner,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
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The mini-golf course will be located next door to the Museum of Illusions at Icon Park, and it’s expected to open in the winter of 2025.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Shortly after Braun’s executive order, the Indiana Department of Health told local health departments to stop accepting requests to change genders on birth certificates.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
24 July 2025
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But, the good news, Wolf says, is that steroid treatments can stop the progression of the disease.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
People.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
But why would stocks sell off based on Powell’s firing in the first place?—
Michael Foster,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Trump’s gloating response to Colbert’s firing was enough to convince many in the industry that CBS’s business decision was politically motivated.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 July 2025
Noun
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The new onslaught comes after a bit of a break from last week’s sweltering spate of weather, and Mayor Adams issued a new warning.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
28 July 2025
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But Shaw’s play since the All-Star break shouldn’t be ignored.—
Jared Wyllys,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
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Which is yet another reason for politicians to cease trying to corrupt the brilliance of freely arrived at price signals.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
-
Historic vote guts public media nationally On May 1, Trump issued an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the private nonprofit that manages the federal money for public media, to cease funding of NPR and PBS.—
Angele Latham,
The Tennessean,
30 July 2025
Noun
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At their previous meeting in May, the regents approved a resolution that allows presidents of individual campuses to implement furloughs and temporary salary reductions as part of their budget plans.—
Sam Gauntt,
Baltimore Sun,
15 June 2025
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Now, Nasrin is home on a medical furlough for a heart condition that was exacerbated by COVID-19 and mistreatment in prison, and Reza is facing at least three more years in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.—
Jeff Kaufman,
Time,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Long hours, little pay, getting high in his downtime to decompress.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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The couple's offseason adventures included a trip to Montana with pal Erin Andrews and friends, luxe dinner dates and downtime with friends.—
Natasha Dye,
People.com,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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