as in abandoning
to stop doing (something) permanently
we warned him to lay off of the cigarette smoking
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying off (of)
Verb
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Security footage shows the missing man crashing his car and abandoning it near the Best Western Hotel on Enterprise Drive.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026 -
Republican state lawmakers opposed the measure, saying the Legislature was circumventing its process and abandoning transparency and accountability in order to funnel tax dollars to a political ally.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The company is discontinuing its frozen products, which include orange juice and lemonade, the Coca-Cola Company, which owns Minute Maid, confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
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Earlier this month, the Office of the Provost sent a message to Division of Academic Affairs employees informing them that the university was discontinuing all telework agreements with workers, except those with accommodations.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Schaffrick has quite a story — turning pro at 14 before growing disillusioned with the sport at 21, quitting to become a plumber.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
11 Feb. 2026
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Santos-Griswold contemplated quitting the sport.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What is clear is that Oklahoma has become a central player in a national strategy that treats detention not as a means of ensuring public safety, but as an end in itself, a system designed to pressure immigrants into giving up their legal claims and leaving the country voluntarily.—
Ben Fenwick,
Oklahoma Watch,
13 Feb. 2026
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And as the number of pets goes up, many people wind up giving up their animal, overcrowding shelters.—
Margret Grebowicz,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Others on the roster are known for their high-flying dunks, jaw-dropping ball-handling or seemingly limitless range.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
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And figure skater Ilia Malinin continued redefining the sport, performing a jaw-dropping backflip.—
Tiago Ventura,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Laying off (of).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off%20%28of%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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