lay off

The phrase “lay off” has 2 syllables: lay off

It's pronounced as /leɪ ˈɔːf/


What is synonym and antonym for lay off?

In the thesaurus, “lay off” has 106 synonyms and 21 antonyms.

Here are synonyms and antonyms for lay off along with examples of usage in sentences.


Synonyms for lay off

  • abeyance
  • abolish
  • abort
  • annul
  • arrest
  • ax
  • axe
  • bird
  • block
  • blockade
  • boot
  • brake
  • break
  • break off
  • break up
  • breath
  • breather
  • call
  • can
  • cease
  • check
  • clamp down
  • closing
  • complete
  • conclude
  • cut off
  • cut out
  • dam
  • deactivate
  • delay
  • demolish
  • desist
  • destroy
  • detain
  • discharge
  • discontinue
  • dismiss
  • dismissal
  • dissolve
  • doldrums
  • dormancy
  • downsizing
  • downtime
  • drop
  • end
  • finish
  • fire
  • firing
  • furlough
  • give a rest
  • give over
  • halt
  • have done with
  • heave-ho
  • hinder
  • hold
  • hold back
  • impede
  • interruption
  • kibosh
  • kill
  • knock off
  • latency
  • leave alone
  • leave off
  • let go
  • let up
  • lie by
  • lull
  • obstruct
  • oust
  • pause
  • pay off
  • pink slip
  • put the kibosh on
  • quiescence
  • quit
  • recess
  • redundancy
  • rest
  • retire early
  • ruin
  • sack
  • scuttle
  • shake-up
  • shakeout
  • shut off
  • shutdown
  • snuff
  • spell
  • squash
  • squelch
  • stamp
  • stanch
  • staunch
  • stay
  • stem
  • stop
  • stunt
  • suppress
  • suspend
  • suspense
  • suspension
  • time-out
  • turn back
  • winter

Antonyms for lay off

  • actuate
  • advance
  • begin
  • callback
  • carry on
  • continue
  • drive
  • employ
  • hire
  • impel
  • keep up
  • proceed
  • progress
  • propel
  • recall
  • reemployment
  • rehire
  • rehiring
  • run on
  • start
  • stir

Meanings of lay off

  • verb
    1. (chiefly US) (of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume or through no fault of the worker, often with a severance package.
    2. (of a bookmaker) To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.
    3. To cease, quit, stop (doing something).
    4. To stop bothering, teasing, or pestering someone; to leave (someone) alone.
    5. (artisanal terminology) In painting, to apply gentle strokes to smooth a wet coat of paint so as to remove visible roller- or brush-marks, commonly using a dry brush; a similar technique, but using a loaded laying-off brush, may produce a smooth coat of paint when using a roller or the usual brush techniques would leave marks.
    6. To plan out (a navigational course) using a chart.

Example Sentences

  • The manager had to lay off several workers due to budget cuts.
  • You should lay off the junk food if you want to stay healthy.
  • The company decided to lay off temporary staff after the project ended.
  • He told his friend to lay off because the teasing was getting annoying.
  • They were forced to lay off employees during the economic downturn.

On this page you'll find 127 synonyms, antonyms, or another words to lay off, such as: abeyance, abolish, abort, actuate, advance, annul, arrest.

Make sure to choose synonyms and antonyms that are appropriate for the context of the sentence.

Related Words

quantify

quantitate

sack

  • Murphy bed
  • ax
  • axe
  • backpack
  • bag
  • barracks bag
  • bassinet
  • bed
  • bedstead
  • bounce
  • break in
  • bundle
  • bunk
  • bunk bed
  • burglarize
  • can
  • carry-cot
  • carryall
  • cashier
  • comb
  • cot
  • couch
  • cradle
  • crib
  • daybed
  • demolish
  • depredate
  • desecrate
  • desolate
  • despoil
  • destroy
  • devastate
  • devour
  • discharge
  • dismiss
  • ditty bag
  • doss
  • downsize
  • drop
  • duffel bag
  • excess
  • expel
  • feather bed
  • fire
  • fleece
  • flight bag
  • four-poster
  • furlough
  • futon
  • garment bag
  • give a pink slip
  • give marching orders
  • give the boot
  • gut
  • hammock
  • handbag
  • harry
  • haversack
  • hay
  • hunt
  • kick out
  • kip
  • kit bag
  • knapsack
  • lair
  • lay off
  • lay waste
  • loot
  • maraud
  • mattress
  • muster out
  • pack
  • package
  • packet
  • pad
  • pallet
  • parcel
  • pillage
  • pink-slip
  • plunder
  • pocketbook
  • poke
  • portmanteau
  • pouch
  • purse
  • rack
  • raid
  • rake
  • ransack
  • ravage
  • ravish
  • release
  • remove
  • retire
  • rifle
  • rip off
  • rob
  • rucksack
  • ruin
  • rummage
  • satchel
  • send packing
  • separate
  • shakedown
  • ship
  • shopping bag
  • sleigh bed
  • sofa
  • sofa bed
  • spoil
  • spoliate
  • strip
  • studio couch
  • terminate
  • throw out
  • tote
  • tote bag
  • traveling bag
  • trim
  • trundle bed
  • turn off
  • unseat
  • wallet
  • waste
  • water bed
  • work bag

abort

  • abandon
  • abrogate
  • annul
  • arrest
  • break off
  • call
  • call it quits
  • call off
  • cancel
  • check
  • countermand
  • cry off
  • cut off
  • discontinue
  • drop
  • end
  • fail
  • give up
  • halt
  • hold back
  • interrupt
  • invalidate
  • knock it off
  • lay off
  • miscarry
  • nullify
  • recall
  • recant
  • relinquish
  • repeal
  • rescind
  • retract
  • reverse
  • revoke
  • roll back
  • scrap
  • scratch
  • scrub
  • stop
  • surrender
  • suspend
  • take back
  • terminate
  • void
  • withdraw
  • write off

caliper

  • adapt
  • add up
  • adjust
  • align
  • appraise
  • ascertain
  • assess
  • average
  • beat
  • blend
  • bound
  • calculate
  • calibrate
  • check
  • check out
  • choose
  • cipher
  • compute
  • conjecture
  • delimit
  • demarcate
  • determine
  • discover
  • dope out
  • estimate
  • evaluate
  • even
  • eye
  • figure
  • figure out
  • find out
  • fit
  • gage
  • gauge
  • gradate
  • grade
  • graduate
  • guess
  • guesstimate
  • judge
  • lay off
  • level
  • limit
  • line
  • look over
  • mark
  • mark out
  • measure
  • mete
  • pace off
  • peg
  • plumb
  • portion
  • quantify
  • quantitate
  • rank
  • rate
  • read
  • reckon
  • regulate
  • rhyme
  • rule
  • scale
  • shade
  • size
  • size up
  • sound
  • span
  • square
  • stroke
  • sum
  • suppose
  • survey
  • tailor
  • take account
  • tally
  • time
  • total
  • valuate
  • value
  • weigh
  • work out

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