as in ending
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying off
Verb
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The Chargers have been without top tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater because of season-ending ankle and knee injuries, respectively, and tried to make do as best as possible.—
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
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The team labored in home losses to Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers, with Mahomes ultimately suffering a season-ending ACL injury in the fourth quarter of that setback against the Chargers.—
Verb
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The Rhode founder and her stylist Dani Michele delivered a show-stopping moment on the red carpet, pulling a shimmering 2009 Armani Privé gown from the archives.—
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Stroll through the Funk Zone, stopping at wineries, breweries, and local shops along the way.—
Verb
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That’s because Keats, who died at just 25, was obsessed with the finality of things, with an unavoidable fear of life ceasing to be.—
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The first step for treating CHS is ceasing marijuana use entirely, Streem said.—
Verb
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Their lack of insight into their adversaries’ intelligence capability makes these militiamen demonstrably ineffectual at halting intelligence breaches.—
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The Administration also scaled back mRNA vaccine projects aimed at advancing the development of countermeasures for public health emergencies, halting 22 projects worth nearly $500 million that involved contracts with major pharmaceutical companies such as Moderna and Pfizer.—
Verb
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Instead, prune these shrubs after the flowers have begun to fall off in late spring to avoid cutting off the buds that will be next year’s blooms.—
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The Iranian government has increasingly cracked down on demonstrators in recent days, cutting off internet access and phone lines in Tehran in the middle of last week.—
Verb
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When the construction project starts next year, the road into the basin will be closed, shutting off access to the area.—
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The plan discussed in committee would also create parameters for providers shutting off water service to residents.—
Verb
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Once enough cars have sped over these fissures, chunks begin breaking off to create those infamous potholes that pop tires and ruin shocks.—
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Weiss made a career for herself as an op-ed staff editor at The New York Times before breaking off from the mainstream publication in 2020 and launching the Free Press.—
Verb
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The Carnivore Diet The Carnivore Diet is highly restrictive, cutting out plant foods and relying entirely on animal products for nutrients.—
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Your fourth tip centers on diet quality, in particular cutting out ultraprocessed foods.—
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Cite this Entry
“Laying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20off. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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