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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Ohtani had reached base safely a World Series-record 11 consecutive times after walking in the first inning, but Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber struck him out in the third inning, ending the impressive streak.—
Wayne Sterling,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025 -
The birthing experience was a surprising, but happy ending to an easy pregnancy.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Look for signs like the cat stopping purring, stiffening, thrashing their tail, or hissing.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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Despite the logic gleaned from the accounting books arguing to the contrary, spending is showing no signs of stopping.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But what was accomplished from the meeting remains unclear as Russia increased its aerial bombardment on Ukraine rather than ceasing military operations following the talks.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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And calling for a ceasefire means ceasing fire.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
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During a government shutdown, only members of Congress are allowed to give tours of the Capitol, sparing staff from the extra work, while also halting a service provided for these offices’ constituents.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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Per the trailer, the duo decide that her hair must go and end up shaving it off — a drastic change that Stone embraced, cutting off her naturally blond locks for the role.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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At one point, customers heard a rumor that SDG&E was shutting off electricity to the building — an alarming development that would have left the business’s freezers without power.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 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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Editing was done by spooling the recording from one reel to another, cutting out the unwanted elements with a razor blade, and cello-taping the remaining tape back together.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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In the video above, the show's audio can be heard cutting out, censoring whatever Goldberg said next.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Laying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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