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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of layoff
Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
At one point, one of the loan officers told her the department’s layoffs prevented them from servicing anyone properly.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Saks Fulfillment Center in Rutherford County, 446 workers A Saks Fifth Avenue distribution center in La Vergne will permanently close this year and lay off 446 workers, a WARN notice said.
—Molly Davis, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
As a result, many employees faced firings, layoffs, and accepted early resignations.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
At one point, one of the loan officers told her the department’s layoffs prevented them from servicing anyone properly.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
When those dollars disappear, organizations must decide whether to cut programs, lay off staff, or close.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Saks Fulfillment Center in Rutherford County, 446 workers A Saks Fifth Avenue distribution center in La Vergne will permanently close this year and lay off 446 workers, a WARN notice said.
—Molly Davis, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
-
The dismissal represented an abrupt end to a case with little recent precedent in Alameda County.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
All of these cases ended with either dismissals or acquittals.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Several additional actions are planned for the fall and winter months.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In the Upper South, provide camellias with protection from winter winds and plant in partial shade to prevent problems associated with temperature swings.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The traffic itself generally keeps moving rather than fully stopping.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Fighting on the island had stopped, so the soldiers in the picture were not under fire, and the action of raising the flag (there is a movie of it) took all of a few seconds.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His remarks contradicted assurances from agency officials that mass firings were not permitted under law.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
-
With the Giants firing manager Bob Melvin, Bochy's old post has opened up, and the Giants' president of baseball operations is his former MVP catcher, Buster Posey.—
Hunter Mulholland,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The struggling Dolphins appear to at least be getting a break on bad weather.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Back in early 2023, the star explained why one of those breaks was longer than normal.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Trouble in Mind Records, the Chicago label that specialized in punk and garage-rock for more than a decade, has ceased operations.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
26 Sep. 2025
-
All her fraudulent welfare handouts ceased in January 2025.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
An Office of Management and Budget memo obtained by Punchbowl News on Wednesday detailed the administration’s personnel plans for a shutdown, which go beyond the standard furloughs.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
-
The stakes are higher for federal workers because the White House is considering layoffs rather than temporary furloughs.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The downtime will mean a temporary reduction in staffing levels of about 700 employees at the plant being laid off.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Starting Friday, there will be no poolside downtime at Bethpage Black, an angry and outsized beast of a public golf course.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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