lay 1 of 4

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as in to settle
to cause to come to rest at the bottom (as of a liquid) the rain was just hard enough to lay the dust in the air

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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as in to bet
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event I'll lay five dollars that you can't do it

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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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lay

2 of 4

noun (1)

lay

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noun (2)

lay

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adjective

Examples of lay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
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 As a lay coach, Moore coached while also working a job outside of the education field. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 26 June 2024 Put in lay terms, democracy in these United States is a treasure to protect and defend, not a toy to be played with by people desperate to cling to power. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2024 The debates are not over obscure doctrinal questions for specialists, but issues such as sexuality, which are part of lay people’s everyday lives. Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018 See all Example Sentences for lay 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near lay

Cite this Entry

“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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