layoffs

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 Too often, this now leads to layoffs and restructuring as a solution to cash flow issues. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 But Bozeman insisted this isn’t tied to mass layoffs. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 12 June 2026 While the budget is technically balanced, maintains funding for most city services, and avoids layoffs among an already lean staff, the fiscal outlook remains fragile as local revenues slow due to cooling economic conditions and rising inflation. Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 12 June 2026 The decision to close for two years was the coup de grâce, after which the already lean staff was subjected to layoffs, reportedly in the double digits. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026 Overall, the vibes at SGF 2026 were markedly up compared to those from last year and 2024, when layoffs plaguing the industry and multiple game cancellations and releases were the main topics of conversation. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 11 June 2026 While several of these positions are vacant to avoid layoffs, representatives said the reductions would nevertheless devastate public safety efforts. Reeti Malhotra june 11, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026 According to various reports, Expeditors did not conduct layoffs during high-stress economic periods including the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, the Covid-19 pandemic and wider tech job cuts after the Federal Reserve began increasing interest rates throughout 2022. Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 June 2026 The layoffs were announced internally May 14 and happened across the organization. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoffs
Noun
  • Ivan Juric failed, even as a Gasperini disciple, to provide continuity and struggled for credibility after his dismissals from Roma and Southampton last season.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • The Town Council experienced a wave of upheaval in 2025 amid executive actions, member dismissals, resignations and public criticism.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • Our recent warm winters were great for disc golfing but also for ticks.
    Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 9 June 2026
  • During particularly cold winters, or those without snow, a lot of them die, and that leads to lower numbers of Lyme cases in the spring.
    Allison Gollenberg, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • The trio also acknowledged how demoralizing and disheartening the recent spate of firings, and the lack of explanation for them, has been.
    Marlow Stern, Variety, 11 June 2026
  • Mass firings, communication freezes, political interference in the CDC’s scientific mission and a revolving door of leaders have created a challenging work environment for the CDC’s employees.
    Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • When everyone from operators to engineers and managers are able to discuss yields, downtimes, reworks and even traceability in terms of factual data, discussions can become significantly more fruitful.
    Ihor Yurchenko, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • 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 council is also not expected to reverse plans to slash management ranks by merging three city departments into other departments and to require many employees to take unpaid furloughs.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • Public pressure and her deteriorating health led to releases and furloughs.
    Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • Yes, there were lulls, to be sure.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026
  • The quality, however, doesn’t make for a pleasant viewing experience, especially during lulls in the season like the one the Dodgers are currently battling through.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Madison Heights, Michigan, city employees are working to repair six water main breaks that happened on Friday night, officials said.
    Nick Lentz, CBS News, 6 June 2026
  • In an email to the journalists, FIFA noted that many contingency plans are in place including scheduling adjustments, additional water breaks, and air conditioning on the sidelines.
    Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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