Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun lay_off

1 sense of layoff

Sense 1
layoff -- (the act of laying off an employee or a work force)
       => closure, closedown, closing, shutdown -- (termination of operations; "they regretted the closure of the day care center")

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb lay_off

2 senses of lay off

Sense 1
discontinue, stop, cease, give up, quit, lay off -- (put an end to a state or an activity; "Quit teasing your little brother")

Sense 2
furlough, lay off -- (dismiss, usually for economic reasons; "She was laid off together with hundreds of other workers when the company downsized")
       => displace, fire, give notice, can, dismiss, give the axe, send away, sack, force out, give the sack, terminate -- (terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position; "The boss fired his secretary today"; "The company terminated 25% of its workers")