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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of layoffs
Thousands of federal workers are bracing for layoffs after the White House threatened mass firings if an agreement isn’t reached to avoid a government shutdown.
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Rebecca Schneid, Time, 28 Sep. 2025
The administration threatens mass layoffs as Congress again barrels towards a government shutdown.
—ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
Fresh data revealed jobless claims far under expectations — suggesting layoffs remain limited and the labor market is holding firm despite Fed worries.
—Benzinga, Freep.com, 27 Sep. 2025
Although the closures account for barely 1% of Starbucks’ footprint, the cost-cutting includes the layoffs of roughly 900 employees.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Here are the answers Panic, meanwhile, has spread through the federal workforce after the White House threatened mass layoffs in the event of a shutdown.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
As a result, many employees faced firings, layoffs, and accepted early resignations.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 26 Sep. 2025
Businesses have attempted to limit the cost of tariffs from being passed on by rerouting supply chains, reworking operations, instituting hiring pauses, or administering large-scale layoffs.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2025
Investors hope Wednesday’s decision will bolster the cooling labor market and spur more growth, but tariffs and layoffs could complicate policymakers’ path.
—semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for layoffs
Noun
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The Interior Department, for instance, told employees to take home their phones and laptops to keep an eye out of dismissals.—
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Finances could bear the early dismissals, too.—
Noun
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Mowing Cool-Season Grass If your winters are snowy, your grass is likely a cool-season variety, such as Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, or perennial ryegrass.—
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In areas with mild winters, parsley may survive all season, bringing fresh flavor to cold-weather meals.—
Noun
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In the leadup to the deadline to fund the government this week, the White House directed agencies to prepare for mass firings in the event that Congress couldn’t reach a deal, rather than furloughing those not deemed essential as in past shutdowns.—
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Of the 55 firings, 18 resulted in the school finding itself in the AP Poll sometime in the following season.—
Noun
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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.—
Noun
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With over 147,000 federal employees in the state, many face furloughs or unpaid work.—
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Job cuts and furloughs are mounting.—
Noun
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Figuring how to avoid similar lulls in key moments will be another critical offseason task.—
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The bursts of action punctuate these lulls and sync perfectly with the intro song, Shortchange Hero (by The Heavy).—
Noun
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At this level, the EPA advises sensitive groups to take more breaks and do less intense activities when outside.—
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The lawsuit claims workers were not paid for pre-shift and post-shift activities, or for work performed during their meal breaks.—
Cite this Entry
“Layoffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/layoffs. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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