lie with
phrasal verb
lay with; lain with; lying with; lies with
1
—used to say who has the blame or responsibility for something
Responsibility for the accident lies with the company.
2
literary
: to have sex with (someone)
when he first lay with her
Examples of lie with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
President Masoud Pezeshkian has no real solutions as the country’s problems are well above his pay grade and lie with the supreme leader and the structure of the system.
—
Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
But much of the responsibility lies with the corruption and repression that intensified under Maduro, who proved a more ruthless strongman than his predecessor.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
At the same time, Sabatini said real power lies with the security apparatus.
—Keir Simmons, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
When The Property Owner Pays If an otherwise healthy tree or limb falls due to storm damage or wind, the responsibility usually lies with the person whose property was damaged.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie with
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Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
But much of the responsibility lies with the corruption and repression that intensified under Maduro, who proved a more ruthless strongman than his predecessor.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
At the same time, Sabatini said real power lies with the security apparatus.
—Keir Simmons, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
When The Property Owner Pays If an otherwise healthy tree or limb falls due to storm damage or wind, the responsibility usually lies with the person whose property was damaged.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie with
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20with. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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