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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying off
Verb
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The cliffhanger ending is jaw-droppingly intense, but there is also an emotional fallout for Scarpetta and her family.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026 -
Pinch-hitter Logan Wade followed with a game-ending popout to Moon, and the first baseman threw his glove high in celebration.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rather than stopping disagreements from happening, this aspect is about repairing any damage left behind.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
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Tuesday’s game featured intentional clock-stopping, game-extending fouls by the Heat.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The White House budget chief’s reported aversion to seeing the deficit widen further on the back of a bigger military bill highlights a phenomenon observed by historian Niall Ferguson, who has said any great power that spends more on debt servicing than on defense risks ceasing to be a great power.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
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Please keep praying without ceasing.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The children of these parents will be more likely to go to college and succeed in a career themselves, halting generational cycles of poverty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
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Asian markets fell sharply, with South Korea’s stock exchange briefly halting trading.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The United Arab Emirates is considering cutting off Iranian access to billions of dollars held in the Gulf state, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
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And people very quickly begin to think about cutting off electricity, cutting off water, damage to their cities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Slip on an eye mask and feel your way through a wall of surprise elements like robber gorilla hands, fuzzy fabric, and sneakers, shutting off one sense and heightening another.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
3 Mar. 2026
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Like clockwork, the City of Boston released its annual payroll just before shutting off the lights for the month.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Vrabel first held a press conference at a podium inside the Indiana Convention Center before breaking off into a less formal side session with local reporters later.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
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While that thankfully hasn't been the case this year, the county did have a hit-and-run involving a semi breaking off a snowplow mirror.—
Hope Karnopp,
jsonline.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The physician recommends that first responders start by focusing on three small, attainable measures, such as hitting a protein goal, cutting out alcohol or starting a strength-training routine.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Live Nation was reportedly talking with other DOJ officials outside of the antitrust division looking to settle, though the case proceeded after Subramanian denied Live Nation’s motion to dismiss the case last month while cutting out some claims to narrow the suit.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Laying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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