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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
Arbitration is a private dispute resolution forum that parties contractually assent to use in lieu of litigation.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025
He is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond and is scheduled to make an appearance on June 18.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
And in lieu of that lack of editorial process, its author has clearly misplaced, if not permanently lost, his once unimpeachable grip on his true north.
—Abe Beame, Rolling Stone, 7 June 2025
Vibrations in your controller do a solid job of approximating contact in lieu of the real thing.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lieu
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Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 8 June 2025
He is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond and is scheduled to make an appearance on June 18.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
And in lieu of that lack of editorial process, its author has clearly misplaced, if not permanently lost, his once unimpeachable grip on his true north.
—Abe Beame, Rolling Stone, 7 June 2025
Vibrations in your controller do a solid job of approximating contact in lieu of the real thing.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lieu
Cite this Entry
“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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lieu
noun
archaic
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