verb

laid off

layd OFF

Quiz me More like this

Laid off (verb) means Dismissed from a job because the employer no longer has the work or the money for the role, rather than because of anything the worker did wrong. Example: “She was laid off in January when the studio cut a third of its staff.”

verb

Dismissed from a job because the employer no longer has the work or the money for the role, rather than because of anything the worker did wrong.

"She was laid off in January when the studio cut a third of its staff."

"They laid off two hundred people the week after the merger."

informal Stopped doing something, especially something regarded as excessive or unwelcome.

"I laid off caffeine for a month and slept much better."

"Lay off the sarcasm for five minutes."

How to use laid off

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLost your job because the company cut the role, not because you did badly.

When to use it

Standard in American English for what British English calls being made redundant. The base form is lay off; the noun is a layoff.

Memory tip

Watch the spelling: the verb is lay off, the past and passive form is laid off, and the noun for the event is a layoff (one word).

Easily confused with

laid off vs fired laid off vs furloughed laid off vs redundant

Common pairings

get laid off laid off workers mass layoffs laid off without notice lay off staff

Vocabulary Flow

Build your vocabulary from words like laid off.

Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.

Start vocabulary practice

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “laid off” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She was _____ in January when the studio cut a third of its staff.

Synonyms

View more →

made redundant let go downsized cut released quit given up eased off stopped

Antonyms

hired taken on reinstated

Related words

issue cut share lower increase track commission contract

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between being laid off and being fired?

Being laid off means the position was eliminated for business reasons and the decision was not about your performance. Being fired means you were dismissed for cause, such as misconduct or poor results. The distinction matters for references and, in many places, for unemployment benefits.

What is the difference between laid off and furloughed?

A layoff ends the employment relationship. A furlough is a temporary unpaid pause with the expectation that you will return, and staff often keep benefits such as health cover during it.

Is laid off the same as being made redundant?

Broadly yes — redundancy is the British term for the same situation. British redundancy law also carries specific consultation duties and statutory payments that the American term does not imply.

What is the meaning of laid off?

"laid off" (verb) means dismissed from a job because the employer no longer has the work or the money for the role, rather than because of anything the worker did wrong.

People also searched

issue cut share lower increase track commission contract