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
Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Patchy Mix Mix enters UFC 316 coming off a long layoff.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images What To Know Walmart is laying off up to 106 staffers in its technology office in San Bruno, California, according to an internal memo shared with Newsweek by a Walmart spokesperson.
—Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for layoff
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Noun
While the company's overall financial performance remains strong per its most-recent results, the layoffs coincide with challenges in Disney's film businesses, in particular the underwhelming box-office performance of its live-action remake of Snow White.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Patchy Mix Mix enters UFC 316 coming off a long layoff.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Verb
California, as part of a coalition of states led by Democratic attorneys general, sued the Trump administration in April after AmeriCorps laid off thousands of volunteer members as part of Musk’s downsizing of federal agencies.
—Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images What To Know Walmart is laying off up to 106 staffers in its technology office in San Bruno, California, according to an internal memo shared with Newsweek by a Walmart spokesperson.
—Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 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 11 Jun. 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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