as in stops
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lays off
Verb
-
The first death happens when the heart stops beating and the brain stops working.—
Meagan Jordan,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025 -
The film has played HorrorHound, Cinema Scares and Bloody Mirror, with more festival stops on deck.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a filing on Friday, the nearly-defunct federal body sought summary judgment in NPR’s lawsuit against the organization over its decision to appropriate funding for satellite distribution to a select group of NPR member stations before the CPB ceases operations.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The motor disengages or ceases to function when the brakes are applied or the throttle is released.—
Natalie Davies,
Freep.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Incumbent Eric Adams will serve the remainder of his term in office, which ends on December 31, 2025.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Waitsfield After passing through Hancock, Route 100 technically ends, but keep going for a few more miles on the Mad River Byway, which is also a part of the scenic byway.—
Megan Margulies,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
This designation halts outpatient and elective procedures and ensures more beds are open for emergencies.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Park websites and social media accounts also go dark, fire management plans are paused, and wildlife tracking halts midseason.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Many girls and women have turned to online education being offered by organizations in other countries, but the nationwide blackout now cuts off their access to that, too.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
-
For males, this means a vasectomy, which is a surgical procedure that cuts off the supply of sperm to the semen.—
Kelly Burch Published,
Verywell Health,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The scene where ‘80s teen Marty McFly borrows a scooter from a bewildered ‘50s kid and breaks off the handles to make a skateboard is one of the film’s most iconic moments.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Second, the flowing glacier brings more ice forward to replace what breaks off, slowing the cliff’s inland retreat and making a chain reaction of cliff toppling less likely.—
Evan Howell,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The keyboard also comes with a pairable mouse that automatically shuts off the user’s webcam when it’s placed on an accompanying dock.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Taliban shuts off Afghanistan internet nationwide Afghanistan imposed a nationwide internet blackout, the latest sign of the Taliban government’s increasingly severe rule.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After more than 13 years serving the South County community at the corner of Golden Lantern and Del Prado, StillWater Spirits and Sounds is calling it quits.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Among those that have called it quits in recent months are Los Angeles’s Blum and LA Louver; New York’s Kasmin, Tilton Gallery, and Venus Over Manhattan; and the bicoastal Clearing, which had operated outposts in New York and Los Angeles.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
17 Oct. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Lays off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lays%20off. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share