lie off
verb
lay off; lain off; lying off; lies off
1
: to hold back in the early part of a race
2
: to keep a little away from the shore or another ship
3
: to cease work for a time
Examples of lie off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Argentina is bearing much of the brunt of rising Chinese imports, as local factories shut down and lay off workers in a manufacturing sector that employs almost a fifth of its workforce.
—
Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 2 Feb. 2026
The island, a UNESCO world heritage site, lies off Australia’s eastern coast and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
—Georgiana Ralphs, CNN Money, 19 Jan. 2026
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
At the heart of this case is whether White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, who is also the acting director of the CFPB, can effectively shut down the agency and lay off all of the bureau's employees.
—CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie off
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.
Chan Ho-Him, Fortune, 2 Feb. 2026
The island, a UNESCO world heritage site, lies off Australia’s eastern coast and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
—Georgiana Ralphs, CNN Money, 19 Jan. 2026
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
At the heart of this case is whether White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, who is also the acting director of the CFPB, can effectively shut down the agency and lay off all of the bureau's employees.
—CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie off
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20off. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
