as in ending
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying off
Verb
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Total gross for the week ending September 14 was $30,128,088, a boost of about 20% over the previous week and 18% over this time last year.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
16 Sep. 2025 -
The move has puzzled many since ending the program would bar every company, including oil firms, from accessing federal subsidies for capturing carbon or producing hydrogen fuel.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With conditions restored on the 236-meter flight deck, Barone made multiple warm-up passes to heat the SF90’s V8 engine and then launched from the aft end, stopping safely before ascending the ramp.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
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In 2020 and 2021, many endorsed the deplatforming of Covid skeptics and election conspiracy theorists, arguing that there was a public interest in stopping misinformation.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As a result of growing pressures, Louise stepped down from her remaining duties as Princess in 2022, ceasing to perform official duties on behalf of the Royal Family.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
16 Sep. 2025
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War When the first shots of the conflict were fired in April 2023, domestic soccer within Sudan was immediately halted, with the majority of the country’s teams ceasing to compete at any meaningful level.—
Rory Fleming,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The House spending bill would use that power as a cudgel, halting congressional approval of FASB’s budget (see page 108) until the accounting agency repeals its new disclosure rules.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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According to an Associated Press (AP) report, the strike took place as Hamas leaders met in Qatar’s capital to consider a proposal aimed at halting the nearly two-year-long war in Gaza.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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It had been made for Williamson but was cutting off Bronze’s circulation.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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The Ewpjdk 4-Pack Garden Pruning Shears come with four pruning shears for the price of one and are versatile enough to take on all kinds of fall pruning tasks, like harvesting, clipping, deadheading, and cutting off the final fruits of the season, before winter comes.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If the plaque weakens and breaks apart, large clumps are released into the blood stream, and a large clump can block an artery, completely shutting off blood flow and causing a heart attack.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
11 Sep. 2025
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The phones were all on and were not shutting off.—
Yaakov Katz,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Johnson then carried the ball on the last four plays, breaking off carries of eight, nine and 10 yards.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
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After breaking off her first engagement with Affleck in 2004, the singer went on to marry singer-songwriter Marc Anthony.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
People.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And to capture the nuances of the Earth system, Stevens advocates cutting out as many estimations as possible and attempting to use physics all the way down.—
Zack Savitsky,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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Villareal works on each helmet individually with the help of his wife, Lora, who’ll help with masking, cutting out vinyls and laying the design on the helmets.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Laying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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