# lay off

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/lay-off
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

(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.

## Examples

- The company had to lay off many workers last month.
- Because the factory lost its biggest client, the manager had to lay off half of the staff.
- Facing a sharp decline in revenue, the board of directors reluctantly decided to lay off a significant portion of the workforce to keep the company solvent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.