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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of layoff
Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
After several rounds of layoffs and restructuring, culture has been another test for the company.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Main Street Sports Group Main Street Sports Group, which owns FanDuel Sports Network, plans to close its Brookfield office on April 14 and lay off two workers.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
Clark accompanied the declaration with a partial shutdown of city services and sweeping layoffs.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
After several rounds of layoffs and restructuring, culture has been another test for the company.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The City Council could increase parking fees, eliminate vacant positions and lay off employees in other departments while seeking to balance its finances ahead of adopting the budget in June.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Main Street Sports Group Main Street Sports Group, which owns FanDuel Sports Network, plans to close its Brookfield office on April 14 and lay off two workers.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
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The dismissal of several key claims from the suit comes one month ahead the scheduled start of their trial.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
What did the judge say in his dismissal?—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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One winter later, another generational star hit the open market in Juan Soto.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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To lay asphalt, contractors need warmer temperatures, and a final layer wasn’t put down in time for the cold winter season, when asphalt plants close, Brown said.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Asking the engineers to stop designing a firing squad chamber for the state of Idaho to execute death-row prisoners.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Yankees went a perfect 5-for-5 with ABS challenges in Monday’s 2-1 walk-off loss to the Mariners, but that didn’t stop Boone and company from barking at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That tag is estimated at around $28 million against the cap, a significant one‑year cost but a price Dallas is apparently willing to pay to keep the offensive engine firing.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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The six-minute five-second engine firing will boost the ship's velocity by about 900 mph, just enough to push it out of Earth's orbit to begin the four-day coast to the moon.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her youngest son Oliver, now 2, was born with a hole in his heart and needed surgery, sending her on a six-month social media break.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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That, more than anything else, is the lesson of this international break.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Under the emergency order, the school must immediately cease operations and may not provide massage education services in Texas unless otherwise authorized.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Your intelligence, your generosity, your courage, and your great sensitivity never cease to move me.—
Yi-Jin Yu,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That is why programs allowing supervised or monitored furloughs exist.—
Sean Garcia Leys,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
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The number of furlough days was determined by the employee's salary.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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During the downtime, crew members came up with the famous shot, filmed after Travolta returned, of his feet walking rhythmically as the camera then rises to his face.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Other guitar virtuosos might crave at least a little downtime between concluding a Las Vegas concert residency with one band and launching a national tour with another band, not but Joe Satriani.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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