1
as in dismissal
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily
even senior employees lost their jobs in the massive layoff
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in winter
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness
after such a long layoff the boxer badly needed to get back into shape
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to stop
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
you need to lay off eating those jelly doughnuts, or you'll end up looking like one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of layoff
Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Some Hurricane Hunter staff were affected by the layoffs.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
In a controversial move, the school board opted to issue lay off notices for every member of the district office’s central staff — including the district’s top leader, Cancy McArn.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
Tech layoffs through May 2026 have already surpassed 115,000, approaching the total logged in all of 2025, with Meta, Amazon, and Snap among those citing AI as a driver of cuts.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Some Hurricane Hunter staff were affected by the layoffs.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
Verb
The cuts come as other major tech companies this year, including Meta, Block, Oracle and others, lay off thousands of workers.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
In a controversial move, the school board opted to issue lay off notices for every member of the district office’s central staff — including the district’s top leader, Cancy McArn.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
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But his tenure was also marked by a notoriously volatile temperament that ultimately led to his dismissal in September 2000.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
19 June 2026
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Just a brutal start for Qatar, which now gets a red card and the dismissal of Homam El Amin.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Noun
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State leaders recently created a task force to examine the growing threat, particularly after a winter with low snowfall and continuing drought conditions in many mountain communities.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
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As all sides brace for a labor fight this winter, the solution remains uncertain.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Dallas Cowboys fans can stop wondering if George Pickens will be the latest holdout or hold in for the franchise because on Tuesday, the receiver cleared the air by reporting to mandatory minicamp.—
Briana Aldridge,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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This often meant that European nations recruited talented footballers from their former colonies to stop them from playing elsewhere.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
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Michael Reaves / Getty Images The decision to hire May fell in the lap of Mavericks president Masai Ujiri, who took over the team last month following the firing of former GM Nico Harrison in November.—
Steven Rosenbaum,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
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Johnson’s Office of Community Safety has seen major and sudden changes in recent months, particularly in Johnson’s sudden firing of Gatewood.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Noun
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Hydration breaks occur at every game of the competition, irrespective of the conditions.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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The terrain can be treacherous, but the guide offered patience and grace for our entire group, slowing down without comment when someone was straggling and prioritizing water breaks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
Verb
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As of Monday evening, no formal announcement had been made regarding when the facility would cease operations or when the demobilization process would be completed.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
-
Haiti ceased making payments in 1947.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Noun
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San Diego finalized new labor contracts for most city workers Tuesday that include 10% raises over three years, but the contracts soften the impact of those pay hikes on the city’s budget crisis by requiring unpaid furloughs.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2026
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The furloughs come just weeks before the museum’s annual Juneteenth celebration, as well as the third anniversary of its opening on June 27.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Team England trained with Sporting Kansas City earlier on Thursday and Kane was thrilled to get some downtime to catch a baseball game.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
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The company’s method focuses on producing form, fit, and function compatible components that can be directly inserted into existing systems, reducing downtime and eliminating the need for full requalification in critical defense applications.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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