1
as in to put
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
just lay the book over there on the table for now
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
state officials tried to lay a tax on merchandise sold over the Internet
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4
as in to prepare
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
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5
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
the mason laid mortar over the first row of bricks before starting the second
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6
7
as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
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8
as in to bury
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
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1
2
as in ballad
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
she sang a short lay in dedication to her husband
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as in work
the activity by which one regularly makes a living
my main lay is as a general contractor, but I do side work as a carpenter
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as in laic
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay
Phil Clark, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Whether viewed as a romp, a relic, or a route to commiseration, the series about four friends trying to find love (or at least a good lay) in the world’s most competitive concrete jungle has stood the test of time.
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 June 2024
Joseph Marchelewski, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
Popular tech bloggers can help simplify your product for lay audiences.
—Jessica Wong, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay 
Noun
These courts, which sat every week under trees and in village courtyards across Rwanda, heard more than one million cases and were overseen by lay judges who could hand down sentences as severe as life imprisonment (although most consisted merely of community service).
—Phil Clark, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Whether viewed as a romp, a relic, or a route to commiseration, the series about four friends trying to find love (or at least a good lay) in the world’s most competitive concrete jungle has stood the test of time.
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 June 2024
Adjective
The best choice would be someone the public and media can relate to, possibly someone on the church leadership team who is a lay leader.
—Joseph Marchelewski, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024
Popular tech bloggers can help simplify your product for lay audiences.
—Jessica Wong, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
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The host Tigers began to put some distance between themselves and their counterparts from Columbia by the midpoint of the opening half.Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Jan. 2025
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Although the club initially told him that Szczesny was coming to play, Inaki Pena started to put in some good performances and Flick ended up putting his faith in the 25-year-old.Laia Cervelló Herrero, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Money also helps cordon off the boundaries of an exchange: Once the service has been provided and the money handed over, each party can walk away knowing they’re settled up.Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2025
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Traditional Medicinals Organic Raspberry Leaf Tea $30 at Amazon Don’t settle for an airline’s food and beverage offerings.Isis Briones, Travel + Leisure, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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By Jonathan Samuels published 31 December 2024 The Schloss Roxburghe is an imposing 19th-century country house, once owned by the Duke of Roxburghe, located among the rolling hills and winding rivers of the Scottish Borders.Jonathan Samuels, theweek, 31 Dec. 2024
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Most economists expect inflation to fall in 2025, though many caution that President-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose sweeping tariffs and deport unauthorized immigrants could cause consumer prices to rise.Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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For dinner that night, Bhakti Bai had prepared Dev’s favorites.Kanak Kapur, The New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2025
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Motorists should prepare for sudden visibility changes, blizzard conditions, and icy roads.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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If the Communists won — if their revolution spread across the world, leaving nothing behind but misery and death — then the last best hope of Earth would vanish.Matthew Continetti, National Review, 21 Dec. 2024
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This is a soft frosting, perfect for spreading over a sheet cake or topping crisp cookies.Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
Verb
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However, some of what makes venture work is the fact that someone is literally betting their career on going the distance with an idea.Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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Sports betting in particular has been associated with higher rates of personal bankruptcy, loan defaults, and lower credit scores.James Ferrari, New York Daily News, 29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The wires came from shell companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Mauritius and ascribed the payments to the purchase of electronics, according to the news release.Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 4 Sep. 2024
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The list goes on, but one thing these social media sensations appear to have in common is that people seem to like to ascribe humanlike traits and emotions to them.Chad de Guzman, TIME, 27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In São Paulo, where Eunice Paiva, who died in 2018 at 89, is buried, her tomb has reportedly become a pilgrimage site for admirers of this woman who fought for Brazil’s democracy.Alexander Durie, TIME, 7 Jan. 2025
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Carter will be buried next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, who died on Nov. 19, 2023, at the age of 96.Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Thesaurus Entries Near lay
Cite this Entry
“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
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