51 Euphemisms for 'You're Fired'

A euphemism is a seemingly nice or polite way of expressing a harsh or unpleasant truth. In the Oxford Dictionary of Euphemisms (2007), R.W. Holder observes that euphemism is often "the language of evasion, hypocrisy, prudery, and deceit." To test that observation, consider these 51 alternative ways of saying "You're fired." 

Dan Foreman: Guys, I feel very terrible about what I'm about to say. But I'm afraid you're both being let go.
Lou: Let go? What does that mean?
Dan Foreman: It means you're being fired, Louie.
(Dennis Quaid and Kevin Chapman in the movie In Good Company, 2004)

Throughout much of the world, unemployment remains a problem. Yet of all those people who have lost their jobs, few were ever told, "You're fired."

Apparently, those day-long seminars in workplace sensitivity have paid off: "firing" is now as outdated as a defined-benefit pension plan. In its place is a brightly colored file folder filled with smiley-faced euphemisms.

True, a few of the terms sound rather dour and legalistic ("involuntary separation," for example, and "workforce imbalance correction"). A few others are simply perplexing ("decruit," "lateralize," "waive"). But many sound as cheery as a year-end bonus: "constructive discharge," "career alternative enhancement," and—no kidding—"free up for the future."

"You're not losing a job," these expressions seem to be saying. "You're regaining a life."

Euphemisms for Job Termination

Here, according to management guides and personnel documents found at a host of online human resources sites, are 51 bona fide euphemisms for job termination.

1. career alternative enhancement
2. career change opportunity
3. career transition
4. constructive discharge
5. constructive dismissal
6. decline a contract extension
7. decruit
8. defund
9. dehire
10. de-select
11. destaff
12. discharge
13. discontinue
14. downscale
15. downsize
16. early retirement opportunity
17. employee transition
18. end of a trial period
19. excessing
20. free up for the future
21. indefinite idling
22. involuntary separation
23. lateralize
24. let go
25. make internal efficiencies
26. make redundant
27. manage down
28. negotiate a departure
29. outplace
30. outsource
31. personnel realignment
32. personnel surplus reduction
33. rationalize the workforce
34. reduce headcount
35. reduce in force (or riffing)
36. re-engineer the staff
37. release
38. relieve of duties
39. reorganize (or re-org)
40. reshuffle
41. restructure
42. retrench
43. rightsize
44. select out
45. separate
46. skill-mix adjustment
47. streamline
48. surplus
49. unassign
50. waive
51. workforce imbalance correction

Forget those condescending reminders that you're now free to "pursue other interests" and "spend more time with the family." As anyone who has ever lost a job is keenly aware, euphemisms such as these rarely achieve their goal of softening the blow. The terms that we use for getting fired tend to be dysphemisms: sacked, dumped, bounced out, canned, axed, eighty-sixed, and given the old heave-ho.

More About Euphemisms and Dysphemisms

• Why Do We Use Euphemisms?
• Euphemisms, Dysphemisms, and Distinctio: Soggy Sweat's Whiskey Speech
• Soft Language