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
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
The layoffs will also affect employees across Meta’s recruiting, sales, global operations and Facebook social teams.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026
But what Flanagan’s campaign promotions about her board experience omit are the votes to slash budgets, lay off teachers, and close entire schools as the district struggled with declining enrollments, as well as costly scandals and a new headquarters that ballooned in cost to more than $40 million.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
Cost of living is rising, hiring has slowed to a worrying pace, and layoffs are on the rise.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
The layoffs will also affect employees across Meta’s recruiting, sales, global operations and Facebook social teams.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Main Street Sports Group Main Street Sports Group, which owns FanDuel Sports Network, plans to close its Brookfield office on April 14 and lay off two workers.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026
But what Flanagan’s campaign promotions about her board experience omit are the votes to slash budgets, lay off teachers, and close entire schools as the district struggled with declining enrollments, as well as costly scandals and a new headquarters that ballooned in cost to more than $40 million.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
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Additionally, Redd filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the lawsuit for failure to state a claim.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
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The sentence followed a similar plea deal for her co-defendant and boyfriend, Dhante Jackson, who won the dismissal of murder and child abuse charges in October of last year in exchange for a no contest plea on a lone accessory count.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Here, people live and work—about 150 per week in summer and up to 42 in winter—in an elevated two-story steel compound, studying astrophysics, neutrinos, glaciers, climate change, and some of the cleanest air on Earth.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
29 Mar. 2026
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From an under-the-radar trade acquisition last June to World Series hero by October, Klein spent the winter still energized by his four scoreless innings in Game 3 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Asking the engineers to stop designing a firing squad chamber for the state of Idaho to execute death-row prisoners.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
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The Yankees went a perfect 5-for-5 with ABS challenges in Monday’s 2-1 walk-off loss to the Mariners, but that didn’t stop Boone and company from barking at home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That tag is estimated at around $28 million against the cap, a significant one‑year cost but a price Dallas is apparently willing to pay to keep the offensive engine firing.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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The six-minute five-second engine firing will boost the ship's velocity by about 900 mph, just enough to push it out of Earth's orbit to begin the four-day coast to the moon.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her youngest son Oliver, now 2, was born with a hole in his heart and needed surgery, sending her on a six-month social media break.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
That, more than anything else, is the lesson of this international break.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Under the emergency order, the school must immediately cease operations and may not provide massage education services in Texas unless otherwise authorized.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Your intelligence, your generosity, your courage, and your great sensitivity never cease to move me.—
Yi-Jin Yu,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The number of furlough days was determined by the employee's salary.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
In February, the district voted to cut positions and add furlough days to further reduce its budget.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In his downtime, Jeremiah likes building with Legos, playing video games, singing, watching movies and going bowling.—
The Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
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Between meditation and sessions with facilitators, there wasn’t much downtime, but in quieter moments, Stem spent time journaling or walking in the forest.—
Natalia V. Osipova,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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