layoff

1 of 2

noun

lay·​off ˈlā-ˌȯf 

1

: a period of inactivity or idleness

2

: the act of laying off an employee or a workforce

also : shutdown

lay off

2 of 2

verb

laid off; laying off; lays off

transitive verb

1

: to mark or measure off

2

: to cease to employ (a worker) often temporarily

3

of a bookie : to place all or part of (an accepted bet) with another bookie to reduce the risk

4

a

: to leave undisturbed

b

: avoid, quit

was advised to lay off smoking and alcohol

c

: to refrain from swinging at (a pitch)

intransitive verb

1

: to stop doing or taking something

2

: to leave one alone

wish you'd just lay off

Synonyms

Noun

• ax
• axe
• discharge
• dismissal
• furlough
• redundancy [chiefly British]

Verb

• break
• break off
• break up
• can [slang]
• cease
• cut off
• cut out
• desist (from)
• discontinue
• drop
• end
• give over
• halt
• knock off
• leave off
• pack (up or in)
• quit
• shut off
• stop

Examples of layoff in a Sentence

Noun

The company announced the layoff of several hundred employees.

More layoffs are expected at the factory later this year.

The band finally has a new album after a three year layoff.

a layoff of three years

Verb

you need to lay off eating those jelly doughnuts, or you'll end up looking like one

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Accenture team did not explore whether resilience was achievable through contingent or gig workforces that could reduce the boom-bust cycles and demoralizing effects of layoffs. —Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

In March, more than a fifth of the employees at the Chicago Sun-Times took a buyout, including 23 reporters and editors, heading off potential layoffs in a sweeping cost-cutting initiative by nonprofit owner Chicago Public Media. —Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2025

Verb

In December 2021, the company abruptly laid off 900 employees via a Zoom call, and the CEO's delivery was widely criticized as insensitive. —Tony Butler-Sims, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

Thousands of private government consultants laid off during the Trump administration’s cost-cutting crusade are increasingly flooding a shrinking labor market. —Ani Freedman, Fortune, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1748, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for layoff

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff
• runoff

Kids Definition

layoff

1 of 2 noun

lay·​off ˈlā-ˌȯf 

1

: the act of laying off an employee or a work force

2

: a period during which there is no activity

lay off

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)lā-ˈȯf

1

: to mark or measure off

2

: to stop employing (a person) often temporarily

lay off workers

3

: to stop doing or taking something

lay off of that stuff