laid him off

USAGE SUMMARY

"laid him off" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used when someone is terminated from their job for financial or other reasons, usually when it is part of a process of reducing the number of people employed. Example sentence: After reviewing the company's financial reports, the management decided to lay off several employees, including John.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

"They laid him off".

The New York Times

A Pentagon subcontractor had laid him off but refused to provide him with a return ticket.

The New Yorker

In reality, the company had laid him off, before he had gone to Seedco.

The New York Times

He started on April 11 — 290 days after Old London laid him off.

The New York Times

He has been a freelance writer since 2009, when Consumer Reports laid him off.

The New York Times

A month later the company laid him off, saying it no longer had enough work for him.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

While Mr. Grimes was angry at Legg Mason for laying him off, Apple delivered little — but it also made no promises.

The New York Times

Then came an even sharper blow -- while in Kuwait, he learned that Northwest would be laying him off.

The New York Times

"You learned the skill and now the bottom's dropping out," Rabbit's boss at the plant says as he lays him off.

The New York Times - Books

But readers of the book will know that Ms. Stewart's company gave him up, laying him off, which could be one source of the tension coursing through "The Fabulous Beekman Boys".

The New York Times - Arts

They laid him on the floor, cut off his sweatshirt, suctioned his throat and applied CPR.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "laid him off", ensure the context clearly indicates that the job loss is due to economic reasons or restructuring, not performance issues. This helps avoid confusion and potential legal implications.

Common error

Avoid using "laid him off" when the termination is due to poor performance or misconduct; instead, use terms like "fired" or "terminated". Using the wrong term can misrepresent the situation and create legal issues.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "laid him off" functions as a phrasal verb, specifically a transitive verb, indicating an action performed on the object 'him'. It describes the act of terminating someone's employment, often due to economic or organizational restructuring as seen across numerous examples available on Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "laid him off" is a common and grammatically correct phrasal verb used to describe the termination of someone's employment, usually due to economic reasons or company restructuring. Ludwig provides numerous examples of its use in reliable news and media sources. It's important to distinguish this phrase from "fired", which implies termination due to performance or misconduct. Using appropriate language ensures clarity and avoids potential misrepresentation. Understanding the nuances of this phrase, along with available alternatives, can enhance one's ability to communicate effectively and accurately in various professional and personal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

let him go

More euphemistic, softer way to say someone was fired.

terminated his employment

Formal alternative replacing the phrasal verb with a more direct term.

his role was terminated

More formal way of saying his job ended.

dismissed him from his job

Emphasizes the act of removing someone from their position.

made him redundant

Focuses on the position becoming unnecessary, leading to job loss.

his position was eliminated

Focuses on the removal of the position itself rather than the person.

his contract was not renewed

Suitable when the job was contract-based, highlighting the end of the agreement.

he was let go due to restructuring

Adding 'due to restructuring' specifies the cause for letting him go.

downsized him

Highlights that the termination was due to company downsizing efforts.

his services were no longer required

A formal and impersonal way of stating that the person was let go.

FAQs

What does "laid him off" mean?

The phrase "laid him off" means that someone has been terminated from their job, typically due to economic reasons, company restructuring, or downsizing, rather than for performance-related issues.

What's the difference between "laid him off" and "fired him"?

"Laid him off" implies the job loss is due to company reasons, like financial issues or restructuring. "Fired him" means the person was terminated for performance or misconduct issues. They are not interchangeable.

What are some alternative ways to say "laid him off"?

Alternatives include "terminated his employment", "dismissed him from his job", or "made him redundant", depending on the specific context.

Is "laid him off" a formal or informal expression?

"Laid him off" is considered a neutral expression, suitable for general conversation and news reports. For more formal situations, using phrases like "terminated his employment" might be more appropriate.