LAYS OFF Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

lays off

verb

present tense third-person singular of lay off

as in stops

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lays off

Verb

Turning off Save Media stops Google from saving media from future Search interactions to your Search Services History.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
When every team has access to the same tools, producing more of anything stops being an advantage.

— Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of stops

Verb

The video automatically ends when the trip is complete, according to Uber.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Even the Harvard incident ends without drama when, believe it or not, the Duffys realize that Harvard is actually a comfortable, supportive environment for conservative Catholics.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of ends

Verb

This is the most significant ice calving event (where ice breaks off of a glacier) seen in the Arctic since 2020.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
According to the reports, the malfunctions occurred during the ride's signature ‘tilt' portion, where the segment of track containing the ride vehicle breaks off completely and tilts forward 45 degrees before reconnecting to another piece of track at a 90-degree angle to the ground below.

— Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026

Definition of breaks off

Verb

Getting testosterone from a pill or gel shuts off the body’s natural process for making the hormone.

— Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 16 July 2026
In cool mode, the fan often stays on while the compressor shuts off, which continuously drains power just to push room-temperature air.

— Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 21 June 2026

Definition of shuts off

Verb

And earlier this week, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey for June showed a slight pickup in hiring and quits (an indicator of employee confidence) while layoffs were essentially unchanged.

— Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
The band quits when the director releases a swarm of bees onto the set (the original clip featured dogs), only to be replaced by look-alikes.

— Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of quits

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.

Browse Nearby Words

lays into

lays off

lays off (of)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lays off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lays%20off. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of lays off

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cogent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes