furlough 1 of 2

noun

ˈfər-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce furlough (audio)
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

1
as in to excess

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
2
as in to bum

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Dissimilar Words

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
The 20-day furlough program will begin July 1 and run into December in staggered phases. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026 The furloughs come just weeks before the museum’s annual Juneteenth celebration, as well as the third anniversary of its opening on June 27. — News Desk, Artforum, 12 June 2026
Verb
Instead of launching its latest money-spinner, The Hundred, English cricket was locked down, competitions cancelled, players furloughed. — Matt Slater, New York Times, 9 May 2026 Harvey furloughed about 40% of city workers in October after declaring a state of financial distress, including nearly half of the Fire Department. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for furlough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for furlough
  1. dismissal
  2. excess
  3. bum
  4. firing
  5. lay off
  6. malinger
  7. layoff
  8. ax
Noun
  • The insensitive promotion was swiftly canceled, leading to the CEO's dismissal, a public apology, and mandatory history training for 24,000 employees.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • But the European Court of Justice dismissal on Thursday marks the end of that process.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of dismissal
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
Definition of excess
Verb
  • Great, for once the Leafs won’t bum me out!
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • Some were drawn first to the language and its interna ideo, only to later realize the travel benefits involved; others had learned the language specifically to bum around.
    — Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Definition of bum
Noun
  • Nieporte filed a federal lawsuit in May against human resources company ADP Totalsource for its role in his firing, seeking at least $30 million.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • Such blindsiding firings aren't limited to struggling employees; experienced professionals and executives are also abruptly dismissed due to shifting business priorities, restructuring, or leadership changes.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of firing
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
Definition of lay off
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
Definition of malinger
Noun
  • Several major companies including Amazon, Meta and Salesforce have announced layoffs tied to AI adoption.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • While some attribute layoffs to post-pandemic corrections, not solely AI, the true test is whether these leaner structures can effectively foster internal leadership development.
    — Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of layoff
Verb
  • Parades were axed in several cities, including Washington, DC, and Philadelphia.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • Continue reading … SPEAKING OUT — Meteorologist axed after Instagram rant blasts station's workplace culture.
    — , FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of ax

Browse Nearby Words

furless
furlough
furloughed
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Cite this Entry

“Furlough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furlough. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on furlough

Nglish: Translation of furlough for Spanish Speakers

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