Definition of furloughnext
as in dismissal
the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily the landscaping company usually has to put most of its personnel on furlough during the extremely slow winter months

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

furlough

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of furlough
Noun
In fact, furlough transfers where minimum security inmates transfer from prison to prison are routine, allowing inmates the opportunity to catch their own ride to their next destination. — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 At a June 22 meeting, the Cincinnati Public Schools' board approved five furlough days for administrators and teachers. — Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
One North Texas owner says she's already had to furlough a large portion of her staff. — Erin Jones, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026 Life has ground to a halt, with classes suspended at many schools, workers furloughed to save energy, and flights from some places canceled because Cuba doesn’t have enough jet fuel for long-haul flights. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for furlough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furlough
Noun
  • Showers could develop around lunchtime and continue into the afternoon, potentially affecting school dismissal in some neighborhoods.
    — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Titans announced Elliott’s dismissal on Tuesday but provided no details on the incident that prompted it.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Over the past few months my wife has begun drinking to excess every evening.
    — Amy Dickinson, Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2023
  • You’ve been quoted as saying that that is really what the film is about — not so much drinking to excess as embracing the uncontrollable.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2021
Verb
  • The joy Lisa has with her RHUGT cast compared with the dread her RHOSLC cast seems to bring her really bums me out — especially because of how much of this trip is championing the sisterhood of Housewives.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • My conversation partner returned, somehow unable to bum even a single cigarette from anyone at this party.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Now, his firing triggers a buyout package of around $12 million, according to Yahoo's Ross Dellenger.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The container’s roof opens before launch, allowing the internal launcher to rise into its firing position.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Corporations lay off workers en masse in hopes of replicating their labor with LLMs.
    — Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
  • For Ali, a Tehrani technician who had to lay off his half a dozen workers, the economic situation isn’t theoretical.
    — Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • The entire day felt dehumanizing, as if her nearly eight years with the company, her medical problems and her physical pain had been reduced to nothing more than malingering and scattered incidents of tardiness.
    — Greg Jaffe, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2023
  • Goldstein, who did not return a message seeking comment, practices in Chicago and has lectured on the topic of malingering, according to a resume posted online.
    — Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2023
Noun
  • And how is Wall Street reacting to management commentary about the streaming giant’s outlook and largest layoffs in years, including the exit of film head Dan Lin and the replacement of chief content officer Bela Bajaria with Peter Rice?
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The return to office changes come just a day after a report suggested Microsoft was planning to announce further Xbox layoffs this month, and in November and January.
    — Tom Warren, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But that gratefulness didn’t exactly gel with recent reports that Bajaria is being used as a scapegoat and was axed with little notice.
    — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Corral and his team were axed from Movistar Plus+ last year, prompting an outcry from the creative community, who saw his outlook as the main preserve of ambitious but popular storytelling.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Furlough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furlough. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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