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
Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Two major firms announced layoffs.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
When those dollars disappear, organizations must decide whether to cut programs, lay off staff, or close.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
The loss could reduce services, force staff layoffs and even lead to closures, all while increasing the number of uninsured patients that these clinics are legally obligated to serve regardless of their ability to pay.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Two major firms announced layoffs.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Managers generally lay off workers for objective and subjective reasons, said Alan Guarino, vice chairman of CEO and board services at Korn Ferry.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
When those dollars disappear, organizations must decide whether to cut programs, lay off staff, or close.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
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But his blunt dismissal of APEC risks worsening America’s reputation at a forum that represents nearly 40% of the world’s population and more than half of global goods trade.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Since Oklahoma State fired Mike Gundy on September 23 through Kelly’s dismissal one month later, 10 FBS schools have ousted their head coaches.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The New York Mets missed the postseason last year and have some big decisions to make this winter.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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Finding the perfect dress to match her winter wedding was important to her to honor the couple’s mountain winter wedding in Sun Valley, Idaho.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
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And Los Angeles did not stop there.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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He had been removed from OpenAI’s nonprofit board at the time of Altman’s firing and later took a months-long sabbatical beginning in August 2024.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Tidmarsh’s ouster is the latest in a string of haphazard leadership changes at the agency, which has been rocked for months by firings, departures and controversial decisions on vaccines, fluoride and other products.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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From there, Miami needs a lot of breaks to go its way.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
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These particles cause defects, like bridges, breaks, or rough edges, that ruin chips.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Timor-Leste’s oil and gas wells are already running dry, with oil production at the Bayu-Undan field in the Timor Sea—the country’s only producing field—ceasing production in June 2025.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
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The pattern held on many Western rivers; without regulations on what people could keep, wild fisheries would simply cease to exist.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, those on the front lines of rescuing and rehabilitating animals at care centers are concerned that the current furloughs and the possibility of job cuts could result in less support for struggling ocean creatures.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
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The local union branch is working to make sure that the collective bargaining agreement is honored during the furlough and organizing workshops to help members navigate unemployment benefits and career resources.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That means less downtime, smaller batteries, and lower operating costs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
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Alongside Azure, Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365, the Store’s downtime is compounding users' frustrations and fueling speculation about what’s really going on.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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