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 Chargers have been without top tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater because of season-ending ankle and knee injuries, respectively, and tried to make do as best as possible.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026 -
The team labored in home losses to Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers, with Mahomes ultimately suffering a season-ending ACL injury in the fourth quarter of that setback against the Chargers.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Rhode founder and her stylist Dani Michele delivered a show-stopping moment on the red carpet, pulling a shimmering 2009 Armani Privé gown from the archives.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
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Stroll through the Funk Zone, stopping at wineries, breweries, and local shops along the way.—
Chantelle Kincy,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That’s because Keats, who died at just 25, was obsessed with the finality of things, with an unavoidable fear of life ceasing to be.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
26 Dec. 2025
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The first step for treating CHS is ceasing marijuana use entirely, Streem said.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Administration also scaled back mRNA vaccine projects aimed at advancing the development of countermeasures for public health emergencies, halting 22 projects worth nearly $500 million that involved contracts with major pharmaceutical companies such as Moderna and Pfizer.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
1 Jan. 2026
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Trump has also claimed a role in halting numerous conflicts, including the war between Thailand and Cambodia.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The strikes on the Poltava region targeted energy infrastructure facilities, cutting off electricity, water and heating to some communities, authorities said.—
Oleksiy Pshemyskiy,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
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The floods have also left 11 people missing, inundated more than 116,000 houses and 5,000 hectares of crops, and damaged roads and railways, cutting off traffic and power in several areas, the government’s disaster agency said in a report.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When the construction project starts next year, the road into the basin will be closed, shutting off access to the area.—
Liz Teitz,
San Antonio Express-News,
5 Jan. 2026
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The plan discussed in committee would also create parameters for providers shutting off water service to residents.—
Arpan Lobo,
Freep.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Once enough cars have sped over these fissures, chunks begin breaking off to create those infamous potholes that pop tires and ruin shocks.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
29 Oct. 2025
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Weiss made a career for herself as an op-ed staff editor at The New York Times before breaking off from the mainstream publication in 2020 and launching the Free Press.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Carnivore Diet The Carnivore Diet is highly restrictive, cutting out plant foods and relying entirely on animal products for nutrients.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
6 Jan. 2026
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Your fourth tip centers on diet quality, in particular cutting out ultraprocessed foods.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 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 Jan. 2026.
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