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
While cuts have not yet been officially decided, a worst-case scenario would reduce bus service by as much as 16.4%, lay off 300 employees and reduce supplemental services for East Bay Paratransit riders and 4,200 East Bay students who use the bus to get to and from school each day.
—
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Tehran may even go as far as demanding the unfreezing of sanctioned assets abroad or charging a toll for countries using the narrow maritime corridor that lies off the coast of Iran in international waters, analysts say.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
The Office of Personnel Management has just taken a sensible step to deal with the problem by proposing that federal agencies lay off their lowest performers first.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2026
Despite potential low pay, healthcare has been heralded as a fast-growing career path safe from both AI disruption and recessionary impacts—leading to an influx of interest and job openings within the profession, while other sectors lay off staffers in droves.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie off
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Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Tehran may even go as far as demanding the unfreezing of sanctioned assets abroad or charging a toll for countries using the narrow maritime corridor that lies off the coast of Iran in international waters, analysts say.
—Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
The Office of Personnel Management has just taken a sensible step to deal with the problem by proposing that federal agencies lay off their lowest performers first.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2026
Despite potential low pay, healthcare has been heralded as a fast-growing career path safe from both AI disruption and recessionary impacts—leading to an influx of interest and job openings within the profession, while other sectors lay off staffers in droves.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
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 25 Apr. 2026.
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