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furlough 1 of 2

noun

ˈfər-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce furlough (audio)
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

1
as in to excess

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to bum

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Dissimilar Words

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 fact, furlough transfers where minimum security inmates transfer from prison to prison are routine, allowing inmates the opportunity to catch their own ride to their next destination. — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 At a June 22 meeting, the Cincinnati Public Schools' board approved five furlough days for administrators and teachers. — Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
One North Texas owner says she's already had to furlough a large portion of her staff. — Erin Jones, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026 Life has ground to a halt, with classes suspended at many schools, workers furloughed to save energy, and flights from some places canceled because Cuba doesn’t have enough jet fuel for long-haul flights. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for furlough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furlough
  1. dismissal
  2. excess
  3. bum
  4. firing
  5. lay off
  6. malinger
  7. layoff
  8. ax
Noun
  • Kotzmacher said the absence and dismissal of the issue only strengthened her resolve.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In his Instagram caption, Macklemore referenced his dismissal from pop star Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour over his pro-Palestinian messaging and the ensuing fallout.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
    — Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
  • You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
Definition of excess
Verb
  • The joy Lisa has with her RHUGT cast compared with the dread her RHOSLC cast seems to bring her really bums me out — especially because of how much of this trip is championing the sisterhood of Housewives.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • My conversation partner returned, somehow unable to bum even a single cigarette from anyone at this party.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 July 2026
Definition of bum
Noun
  • At the heart of the GOP frustration with Hegseth is his handling of military firings and promotions.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Following the coach’s firing in July 2023, more than 260 Northwestern faculty members signed a petition calling for the stadium plans to be halted until at least athletic department’s problems could be sorted out.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of firing
Verb
  • Corporations lay off workers en masse in hopes of replicating their labor with LLMs.
    — Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
  • For Ali, a Tehrani technician who had to lay off his half a dozen workers, the economic situation isn’t theoretical.
    — Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 17 June 2026
Definition of lay off
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
Definition of malinger
Noun
  • The team’s cost-cutting measures, which included more than 400 layoffs, helped the club post a $30 million operating profit, versus a loss of $24 million in the year prior.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Automakers are also grappling with certain skilled labor shortages and an aging human workforce—although the push to deploy more robots and AI has generated backlash from labor unions concerned about layoffs and pressure on worker compensation.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of layoff
Verb
  • The shows, set to take place on Friday and Saturday nights at the Foxborough, Massachusetts, venue, have been axed due to a nor’easter headed up the East Coast.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In a shocker, Microsoft is tapping Call of Duty publisher Activision to build the next Halo game as Redmond axes more jobs at its first-party studios.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of ax

Browse Nearby Words

furless
furlough
furloughed
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Cite this Entry

“Furlough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furlough. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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