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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of layoff
Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Two major firms announced layoffs.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
When those dollars disappear, organizations must decide whether to cut programs, lay off staff, or close.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Noun
The loss could reduce services, force staff layoffs and even lead to closures, all while increasing the number of uninsured patients that these clinics are legally obligated to serve regardless of their ability to pay.
—Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Two major firms announced layoffs.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
Managers generally lay off workers for objective and subjective reasons, said Alan Guarino, vice chairman of CEO and board services at Korn Ferry.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
When those dollars disappear, organizations must decide whether to cut programs, lay off staff, or close.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoff
Noun
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Miller said his clients believe that this additional context and other policy changes at Indiana Medicaid will address the judge's concerns that anchored her dismissal.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
24 Oct. 2025
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Karen Scham — the resident who originally petitioned to remove the books — was also in attendance, urging Lewin-Lane’s dismissal.—
Adrienne Davis,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Snag these wide-leg trousers to wear during fall and through winter today, and keep scrolling for more Quince pants.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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So one day last winter, as a new MLS season began, Higginbotham’s wife, Nicole, approached him with an idea.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The former instantly adds a second layer of security against unwanted guests, and the latter emits an ultra-loud alarm while acting like a door stop wedge, scaring off any stranger who tries to enter your room.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
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And Los Angeles did not stop there.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Additionally, the school did not give Lea 180 days notice of her firing, as outlined in her employment agreement, according to the lawsuit.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
21 Oct. 2025
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His firing is the latest sign that the easy times for US CEOs are quickly drawing to a close.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the doorway at the back of the altar room that led to the kitchen, the household staff stood watching, bringing hot water for the lamas to drink during breaks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Senate left Capitol Hill on Thursday for a weekend break without signaling any moves to end the government shutdown.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In a filing on Friday, the nearly-defunct federal body sought summary judgment in NPR’s lawsuit against the organization over its decision to appropriate funding for satellite distribution to a select group of NPR member stations before the CPB ceases operations.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Congress failed to pass a budget or temporary funding measure before the federal fiscal year ended on October 1, forcing many federal agencies to cease all non-mandatory operations.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The local union branch is working to make sure that the collective bargaining agreement is honored during the furlough and organizing workshops to help members navigate unemployment benefits and career resources.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
23 Oct. 2025
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That standoff stretched for 35 days, leading to the furlough of more than 350,000 federal workers and forcing 400,000 others to work without pay.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This allows for continuous charging while in motion, reducing downtime and potentially enabling smaller, lighter batteries.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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For experienced users, the printer’s speed and reliability translate into faster iteration and less downtime.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoff. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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