layoffs

Definition of layoffsnext
plural of layoff
1
as in dismissals
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily even senior employees lost their jobs in the massive layoff

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2
as in winters
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness after such a long layoff the boxer badly needed to get back into shape

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of layoffs The milestone comes amid staff layoffs, a federal shutdown, and administration directives to remove historical content from park displays. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026 And several major tech companies have attributed mass layoffs to AI. Jake Angelo, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026 This included not commenting when asked specifically about the possibility of layoffs at the school. Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026 Some of it, inevitably, will come from layoffs. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026 In contrast, district leaders say that meeting union demands will lead to mass layoffs and cuts to district programs. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026 Sources say the layoffs were not performance-based and the number of employees represented a very small percentage of the overall team. Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026 That’s important, because if Americans are thrown out of work, they may be forced to cut back, economists say, hitting companies’ profits and triggering even more layoffs. Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026 This is not the first wave of layoffs at the SK plant. Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoffs
Noun
  • Analysts believe the dismissals are meant both to reform and modernize the military and to ensure Communist Party control over the People's Liberation Army.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Another 84,000 cases ended in dismissals, but that outcome wasn’t reflected in their criminal history either.
    Jason Henry, Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • El Niño typically brings wetter, cooler weather to the southern United States and warmer, drier winters to Canada and the northern United States.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Multiple states, including Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Nebraska, experienced one of their driest winters on record.
    Dan Peck, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Since the mass firings began, former CDC worker and their supporters have protested every Tuesday during the afternoon rush hour outside the CDC's main entrance.
    Jess Mador, NPR, 13 Mar. 2026
  • But the recent firings of the investigators and potential exposure to Iran has members of Congress worried.
    Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The average response time for phone calls dropped to 6 minutes from 30 minutes in the prior fiscal year; field office wait times decreased to 23 minutes; and removal of online service downtimes has benefited an additional 125,000 users in a single week, according to the agency's findings.
    Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The airline also instituted furloughs and job cuts before its first bankruptcy filing.
    ABC News, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
  • The School Board is also discussing the possibility of furloughs, which could take effect earlier than June 30.
    Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In addition to listing tasks and meetings, add goals to a daily schedule, which can keep remote workers motivated to continue working during lulls in the workday.
    Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
  • And not have lulls at this point.
    Kristian Winfield, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • About a two-hour drive south of Luanda, the Praia dos Surfistas (Surfers' Beach) is set on a broad bay with beginner-friendly breaks and a smattering of easygoing beachfront resorts.
    Melanie van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Including the specialized equipment that will fill the data center, Nebius will receive 98% real property tax breaks and 90% breaks on personal property.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 6 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Layoffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoffs. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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