severance pay

noun

: an allowance usually based on length of service that is payable to an employee on termination of employment

Examples of severance pay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Under the contract, the Board of Trustees can fire him without cause with 30 days’ notice and doesn’t specify any severance pay. Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026 Sudden closures and delays in wages and severance pay have also prompted street protests and clashes with authorities, with the minimum wage still a persistent flashpoint. Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 29 July 2026 For instance, South Korea ruled in 2014 that future pensions and severance pay could be included in the division of assets. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 July 2026 The only other disciplinary settlement to include severance pay was a $2,500 payment in July 2020. Corey Schmidt july 17, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for severance pay

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of severance pay was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Severance pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/severance%20pay. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!