layoff

1 of 3

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 3

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

lay off

3 of 3

past tense of lie off

Synonyms of layoff

Noun

• dismissal
• firing
• furlough

Verb

• stop
• cease
• end
• halt
• cut off
• shut off
• quit
• cut out
• leave off
• break off

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

Today’s cuts are said to impact a couple of hundred employees, largely in areas such as tech and HR, which is a smaller number than the two previous rounds of layoffs earlier this year. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

The latest waves of layoffs come after Disney in April eliminated about 1,000 roles, primarily as a result of D’Amaro’s formation of a consolidated enterprise marketing division under the leadership of Asad Ayaz, chief marketing and brand officer. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

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

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