lay it on

idiom

informal

: to speak in a way that is exaggerated and not sincere

You should compliment her cooking but don't lay it on too thick or she'll know you don't mean it.

He laid it on pretty heavily and pretended to be interested in what she said.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web If your leather jacket gets wet from being caught in the rain, hang it up or lay it on a towel and dab up any moisture with a dry cloth before letting air dry. —

Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 28 Oct. 2022 To recruit the world’s best engineering talent, huge companies typically lay it on thick. —

Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2023 Here’s an easy way to stay cool: Fill a water bottle half-full, lay it on its side and freeze it. —

Washington Post, 25 May 2021 Creatives never seem quite sure how thick to lay it on, whether our peaking nihilism is best addressed via dire allegory or brutal directness, whether our entertainment ought to even mirror our circumstances at all. —

Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Jan. 2022 If some of the stains are stubborn, soak a paper towel with vinegar, then lay it on the stain for a while before adding some elbow grease to get the stains off. —

Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2021 Wring it out and lay it on the blistering area for about 15 to 30 minutes. —

Christa Sgobba, Men's Health, 31 Mar. 2023 Pull the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off, and lay it on the hot grate. —

Julia O'malley, Anchorage Daily News, 21 July 2022 Pull out a soft blanket, lay it on the grass or in a hammock, and take advantage of what some have dubbed the laziest season of them all. —

Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 6 May 2022 See More

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