Did you know?
Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue
Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”
Examples of lieu in a Sentence
I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church.
—
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Recent Examples on the Web
Vaden is seeking unspecified damages and reinstatement to her former position, or front pay in lieu of reinstatement, as well as a jury trial.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
Calderon remains behind bars in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 June 2026
In lieu of celebrities and socialites, the competition will open the doors to the now-infamous Scottish castle to 22 everyday Americans, hand-selected from a nationwide search resulting in over 60,000 hopeful applicants.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Each style is available in hues directly inspired by Bala’s five core colorways of charcoal gray, espresso brown (in lieu of their signature sand hue), blush pink, sage green and sea blue, with sporty contrast piping, to match the brand’s athletic accessories.
—Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lieu
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2026
Calderon remains behind bars in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 June 2026
In lieu of celebrities and socialites, the competition will open the doors to the now-infamous Scottish castle to 22 everyday Americans, hand-selected from a nationwide search resulting in over 60,000 hopeful applicants.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 18 June 2026
Each style is available in hues directly inspired by Bala’s five core colorways of charcoal gray, espresso brown (in lieu of their signature sand hue), blush pink, sage green and sea blue, with sporty contrast piping, to match the brand’s athletic accessories.
—Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for lieu
Cite this Entry
“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lieu
noun
archaic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
