lie in state
idiom
of the body of a famous leader
: displayed in a coffin in a public place so that people can view it and show respect
Examples of lie in state in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Francis' body will lie in state in St. Peter's Basilica until Friday evening – allowing the faithful three days to pay their respects to the pontiff.
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Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
The public has had the chance to pay their respects to the Pope after his body was moved to the basilica to lie in state.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
The late pontiff will lie in state in a simple wooden coffin until his funeral on Saturday, April 26.
—Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 23 Apr. 2025
Pope Francis’s remains will lie in state in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City following his Monday death from a cerebral stroke at age 88.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in state
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Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
The public has had the chance to pay their respects to the Pope after his body was moved to the basilica to lie in state.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 24 Apr. 2025
The late pontiff will lie in state in a simple wooden coffin until his funeral on Saturday, April 26.
—Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 23 Apr. 2025
Pope Francis’s remains will lie in state in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City following his Monday death from a cerebral stroke at age 88.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in state
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Cite this Entry
“Lie in state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20in%20state. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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