in lieu of

phrase

: in the place of : instead of
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in lieu of was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In lieu of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20lieu%20of. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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