lay off (of)

verb

Definition of lay off (of)next
as in to abandon
to stop doing (something) permanently we warned him to lay off of the cigarette smoking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay off (of)
  1. abandon
  2. discontinue
  3. quit
  4. drop
Verb
  • Executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP and TotalEnergies abandoned the event, the FT reported, due to the potential danger.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In Peru, the world’s largest catcher of anchovies, the fishing industry collapsed after the tiny baitfish abandoned the country’s waters for cooler northern climes.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of abandon
Verb
  • Far smaller rollouts of sophisticated light-duty driving systems from various auto companies have been available in limited markets in recent years, but have been discontinued.
    — Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Late in the summer of 2012, Ahmed discontinued communication with both women.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of discontinue
Verb
  • Theo was thinking about quitting his job to start his own business, which meant, for a time, no income.
    — Joan Martelli, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Lonely employees are roughly twice as likely to quit their job.
    — Jordan Dunin, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of quit
Verb
  • Fallon followed up by asking if McRae had dropped easter eggs hinting at the song’s release.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The remains of a man who was shot in the head and stuffed into a rusted barrel found on the shore of Lake Mead after the water level dropped were identified Thursday as an Arkansas man whose decades-old killing remains unsolved.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of drop
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.

Browse Nearby Words

lay off
lay off (of)
layoffs
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Cite this Entry

“Lay off (of).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20off%20%28of%29. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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