as in dismissal
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily
the landscaping company usually has to put most of its personnel on furlough during the extremely slow winter months
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to excess
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in to bum
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of furlough
Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Her medical furlough was initially to be for three weeks, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly on account of activists and Western powers pushing Iran to keep her free.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits but will furlough 12% of its staff and pause marketing campaigns, according to the agency’s shutdown plan.
—Terry Moseley, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for furlough
Noun
But other parts of the department, including the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office and significant parts of the cybersecurity and election-infrastructure offices, face furloughs, according to a person briefed on the plans.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Her medical furlough was initially to be for three weeks, but her time out of prison lengthened, possibly on account of activists and Western powers pushing Iran to keep her free.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
Additionally, Ultium Cells’ operations in Warren, Ohio will halt production similar to the Spring Hill plant, but will furlough 850 of its workers, and indefinitely lay off 550 employees.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2025
The Social Security Administration will continue to issue retirement and disability benefits but will furlough 12% of its staff and pause marketing campaigns, according to the agency’s shutdown plan.
—Terry Moseley, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for furlough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furlough
Noun
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The federal court approved the dismissal under federal and state statutes, finding that federal law had frequently been used to interpret Illinois' Minimum Wage Law.—
Jenna Schweikert,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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But consistently responding to others’ progress with dismissal, denial, or defensiveness is usually a red flag, experts say.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.—
Amy Dickinson,
Anchorage Daily News,
17 July 2023
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You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2021
Verb
-
Critical thinking really bums them out.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But military experts said Iran may have used its space launch vehicle for an improvised firing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
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Gatewood spoke out after his firing, describing a less-than-ideal work environment on the 5th floor of City Hall.—
Sabrina Franza,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The entire day felt dehumanizing, as if her nearly eight years with the company, her medical problems and her physical pain had been reduced to nothing more than malingering and scattered incidents of tardiness.—
Greg Jaffe,
Anchorage Daily News,
18 June 2023
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Goldstein, who did not return a message seeking comment, practices in Chicago and has lectured on the topic of malingering, according to a resume posted online.—
Matt Hamilton,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2023
Noun
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According to estimates by the American Foreign Service Association, the labor union that represents foreign service officers, senior foreign service ranks were disproportionately represented in layoffs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
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And those predictions are slowly becoming reality as companies—especially tech firms—have started to cut sizable chunks of their workforces, attributing the layoffs to AI.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet a critical number of Republican lawmakers – wary of the long-term consequences of axing the filibuster when a Democrat is eventually back in the White House – have taken a hard stance to defend it.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
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At the time, the National League reduced its number of teams from 12 to eight, as earlier versions of the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Senators, along with the Louisville Colonels, were also axed.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Furlough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furlough. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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