1
: a period of inactivity or idleness
2
: the act of laying off an employee or a workforce
also
: shutdown
laid off; laying off; lays off
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
1
: to stop doing or taking something
2
: to leave one alone
wish you'd just lay 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
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
Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2025
The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is set to lay off or buy out roughly one-third of its unionized staff, the Vancouver Sun reports.
—News Desk, Artforum, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
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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
Wells Fargo will lay off 194 bank workers, effective Aug. 23, at 809 W. 4 1/2 St. in Winston-Salem, according to the WARN report filed Thursday with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
—Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2025
The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is set to lay off or buy out roughly one-third of its unionized staff, the Vancouver Sun reports.
—News Desk, Artforum, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/layoff. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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