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)
Verb
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After all, few imagined that Trump would move so swiftly to not only abandon Ukraine, but also to threaten it—undermining Ukraine’s self-defense at the very moment that defense is complicating Russian war plans.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
22 Feb. 2025 -
Housing inspectors visited rental when kids were living alone At least twice, inspectors visited a Pontiac townhome where the children were allegedly abandoned by their mother, raising questions as to whether the kids could have been found and rescued sooner.—
Gina Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Since then, more than a dozen, mostly smaller Florida municipalities, including Winter Haven, Tavares, Longwood and Leesburg, have voted to discontinue adding fluoride to their water.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2025
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Davis lost, but when write-in nominee Hal Mohr won for his cinematography in A Midsummer Night's Dream the following year, the practice was discontinued forever.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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For those who make too much to qualify for state assistance programs but not enough to comfortably pay for childcare costs out of pocket, quitting a job to look after their kids sometimes makes the most financial sense.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2025
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During his confirmation hearings in late January, Kennedy falsely suggested that antidepressants were harder to quit than heroin.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Gomez completed the look with a peachy nude lip and a wavy bob, as well as a dazzling diamond choker and drop earrings.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
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The Heat is one-half game ahead of the eighth-place Magic, but dropped five games behind the sixth-place Detroit Pistons (34-27) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference that doesn’t require having to go through play-in.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2025
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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 6 Mar. 2025.
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