furlough 1 of 2

Definition of furloughnext
as in dismissal
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily the landscaping company usually has to put most of its personnel on furlough during the extremely slow winter months

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

furlough

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of furlough
Noun
In January 2025, the aquarium placed some staff on temporary furlough and its leadership took salary reductions. Colbi Edmonds, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Jan. 2026 Nike later stated that the audit concluded the furlough program was consensual, voluntary and consistent with local law and labor guidelines. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 29 Dec. 2025
Verb
About 750,000 employees will be sent to furlough each day, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025 On the chopping block In the summer of 2025, Senior Community Service Employment Program grant recipients across the country began to furlough their staff. Cal J. Halvorsen, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for furlough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furlough
Noun
  • Mathieu played just two collegiate seasons before his dismissal in 2012 and subsequent entry into a drug rehabilitation program.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • At Rufus King International Middle School, students must store their phones in a vault each morning and retrieve them at dismissal.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
    Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
  • Over the past few months, my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
    Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 17 July 2023
Verb
  • Rittenhouse admits to initially being bummed out to not be the murderer, only to quickly come around to preferring this outcome.
    Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
  • I'mPhaedra Trethan, bummed out about the passing of Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 9 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • The board’s firing of then-Superintendent Marie Feagins just months into her tenure led to White and Taylor filing takeover legislation last year.
    Bri Hatch, Chalkbeat, 26 Jan. 2026
  • His hiring comes less than two weeks after Herbert fell to 0-3 in the playoffs following a 16-3 AFC wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, resulting in offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s firing.
    Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But what Flanagan’s campaign promotions about her board experience omit are the votes to slash budgets, lay off teachers, and close entire schools as the district struggled with declining enrollments, as well as costly scandals and a new headquarters that ballooned in cost to more than $40 million.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
  • They are forced to take out high-interest loans, drain reserves, lay off staff or cut services, all while continuing to perform work they are contracted to deliver.
    Kristin Brown, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The entire day felt dehumanizing, as if her nearly eight years with the company, her medical problems and her physical pain had been reduced to nothing more than malingering and scattered incidents of tardiness.
    Greg Jaffe, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2023
  • Goldstein, who did not return a message seeking comment, practices in Chicago and has lectured on the topic of malingering, according to a resume posted online.
    Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2023
Noun
  • With the most recent round of layoffs at Meta, plenty of online commenters have been rushing to declare virtual reality and the metaverse dead.
    Cortney Harding, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • With widespread layoffs expected at The Washington Post in the coming weeks, teams of reporters are sending impassioned letters to owner Jeff Bezos, urging him not to shrink the newsroom.
    Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Trump has cited mortgage fraud allegations in his move to axe Cook, but critics have said the action appears tied to his push for lower interest rates.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Others, like Letterman, also floated the idea that the series may have been axed in order to minimize complications with the Federal Communications Commission over Paramount’s merger with Skydance media group.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Furlough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furlough. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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