1
: a period of inactivity or idleness
2
: the act of laying off an employee or a workforce
also
: shutdown
laid off; laying off; lays off
1
: to mark or measure off
2
: to cease to employ (a worker) often temporarily
3
of a bookie
: to place all or part of (an accepted bet) with another bookie to reduce the risk
1
: to stop doing or taking something
2
: to leave one alone
wish you'd just lay off
Examples of layoff in a Sentence
Noun
The company announced the layoff of several hundred employees.
More layoffs are expected at the factory later this year.
The band finally has a new album after a three year layoff.
a layoff of three years
Verb
you need to lay off eating those jelly doughnuts, or you'll end up looking like one
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
In New Haven, a $23 million budget deficit could mean the removal of over 150 positions, including layoffs and closing vacancies.
—Jessika Harkay, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
Amanda Seitz, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
In 2022, the company laid off roughly 20% of its workforce due to claims of recent economic changes.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
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Noun
This vignette of administrative chaos exacerbated by mass layoffs will be familiar to any federal employee or contractor whose agency has been felled of late by the whimsical machete of DOGE.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
In New Haven, a $23 million budget deficit could mean the removal of over 150 positions, including layoffs and closing vacancies.
—Jessika Harkay, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
Verb
Kennedy would lay off nearly all the staff who oversee the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides $4.1 billion in heating assistance to needy families.
—Amanda Seitz, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
In 2022, the company laid off roughly 20% of its workforce due to claims of recent economic changes.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
Cite this Entry
“Layoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/layoff. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
layoff
1 of 2 noun
lay·off
ˈlā-ˌȯf 
1
: the act of laying off an employee or a work force
2
: a period during which there is no activity
lay off
2 of 2 verb(ˈ)lā-ˈȯf
1
: to mark or measure off
2
: to stop employing (a person) often temporarily
lay off workers
3
: to stop doing or taking something
lay off of that stuff
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