lie on/upon
phrasal verb
lay on/upon; lain on/upon; lying on/upon; lies on/upon
: to affect (someone) in a specified way
Sorrow lay heavily on him.
Guilt lies on his conscience.
She keeps herself healthy so her years lie lightly upon her.
Examples of lie on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, a clue to its future impact could lie on another American coastline 2,300 miles away in California.
—
Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
All 29 Pixar Movies Ranked, from ‘Toy Story’ to ‘Elio’
Sure, outside this room there was grass to lie on, courts to play on, and trails to hike, but no matter where these fellows wandered, their minds were set on one goal: putting in the work.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 20 June 2025
Burnt-out carriages and diesel engines lie on their sides, casualties of Syria’s 14-year civil war.
—Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 6 June 2025
How to do it: Lay a beach towel on the floor (or on a bed) and have one partner lie on their stomach, with their hips slightly raised using a pillow or rolled towel.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie on/upon
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Joe Sills, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
All 29 Pixar Movies Ranked, from ‘Toy Story’ to ‘Elio’
Sure, outside this room there was grass to lie on, courts to play on, and trails to hike, but no matter where these fellows wandered, their minds were set on one goal: putting in the work.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 20 June 2025
Burnt-out carriages and diesel engines lie on their sides, casualties of Syria’s 14-year civil war.
—Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 6 June 2025
How to do it: Lay a beach towel on the floor (or on a bed) and have one partner lie on their stomach, with their hips slightly raised using a pillow or rolled towel.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie on/upon
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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