layup

1 of 2

noun

lay·​up ˈlā-ˌəp 

1

: the action of laying up or the condition of being laid up

2

: a shot in basketball made from near the basket usually by playing the ball off the backboard

lay up

2 of 2

verb

laid up; laying up; lays up

transitive verb

1

: to store up : lay by

2

: to disable or confine with illness or injury

a knee injury laid him up for a week

3

: to take out of active service

Synonyms of layup

Verb

• store
• lay in
• stash
• lay by

Examples of layup in a Sentence

Verb

an eating disorder that would impel her to lay up candy bars in her closet for all-night food binges

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Anunoby was going up for a fast break layup with three Magic defenders around him. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025

Butler began hurrying Boise State and pushing up the tempo, which allowed the Broncos to score off several backdoor cuts and slip screens for big dunks and layups at the rim. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 6 Dec. 2025

Verb

Their ability to reproduce — a female can lay up to 2,500 eggs on a single animal — can worsen the situation. —Addy Bink, The Hill, 21 Sep. 2025

Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers attempts a lay up against Miles McBride #2 and Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. —Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

layup

1 of 2 noun

lay·​up ˈlā-ˌəp 

: a basketball shot made from near the basket usually by bouncing the ball off the backboard

lay up

2 of 2 verb

1

: to store up

2

: to disable or confine with illness or injury

a knee injury laid her up for a week

3

: to take out of active service