downsize
/ˈdaʊnsaɪz/ verb
Forms downsizes downsizing downsized
- verb (intransitive) To reduce in size or number. “Joe and Edna moved to a bungalow after deciding to downsize when the children had left home.”
- verb (transitive) To reduce the workforce of. “They downsized the division by offering attractive early-retirement packages and selling off an office building.”
- verb (transitive, euphemistic) To terminate the employment of. “Joe got downsized and became a plumber.”
Synonyms
rightsize axe can decruit dehire discard remove discharge dismiss fire give the axe give someone the boot give someone their cards give the chop give the elbow give someone the heave-ho give someone the old heave-ho lay off let go let someone go
Etymology
From down- + size.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “downsize”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details