Used when someone loses their job, especially informally or unexpectedly.

Workplace Specific

Considered casual, more common in conversational English than in formal writing.

Informal Usage

Don't confuse it with being laid off, which is more about the company's condition than the employee's performance.

Specifically refers to ending a dating or romantic relationship.

The phrase usually focuses on the person ending the relationship, not the one being left.

The phrase has a light-hearted, sometimes humorous tone, and may not convey the gravity of the situation.