LAYING OFF Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

laying off

verb

present participle of lay off

as in ending

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying off

Verb

The administration further proposed ending data collection on racial disparities in school discipline.

— Claire Sibonney, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60-day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to discuss ending the war, the military said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of ending

Verb

With the sole funder of the breakaway circuit cutting off the money spigot, it was speculated that LIV, or at least the current version of it, would cease to exist beyond this year.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Beijing has a history of using economic coercion, like cutting off rare-earth exports or restricting market access, as a tool of foreign policy.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of cutting off

Verb

Dunleavy said the conditions did not meet the company’s internal standards for shutting off the lines.

— Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Always prioritize safety by checking for electrical hazards and shutting off power to the affected area if needed.

— Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of shutting off

Verb

The AccuWeather team will be looking for smaller storm cells breaking off of the main line, which would give them freedom to begin rotating and potentially spin off a tornado funnel.

— Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
Later videos appeared to show the top of the rocket breaking off in flight.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of breaking off

Verb

After the executive order, a coalition of ibogaine practitioners had published an open letter warning of the risks of overharvesting the iboga plant and cutting out the Bwiti people of Gabon, who have used it ceremonially for generations.

— Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Miranda Kerr recently detailed her ultra healthy, if a bit unique, diet, which includes eating venison for breakfast and cutting out eggs altogether.

— Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of cutting out

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Laying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of laying off

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tilde

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes