lay it on

phrase

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.

Examples of lay it on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Players with strong work ethics, players who will battle for their teammates and lay it on the line for the sake of the team. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026

Then pull the tab so that the blue circle is fully visible, and lay it on a flat surface for 20 minutes. — Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 18 Feb. 2026

There’s no reason to not go out and just lay it on the line every night. — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026

Charm equals power, so lay it on thick while Venus is in Leo. — Usa Today, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2025

Don't forget to lay it on thick with all of her favorite garnishes and a bacon-salt rim for the occasion. — Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2024

To recruit the world’s best engineering talent, huge companies typically lay it on thick. — Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2023

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

Rhymes for lay it on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon
• epsilon

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.