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
The last former vice president who did not later rise to the presidency to lie in state was former Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who was accorded the honor in 1978.
—
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2025
Like her husband, Queen Sirikit will lie in state at the Grand Palace for one year before being cremated.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The group said Armani would lie in state in the Teatro Armani in Milan on September 6-7 and that, in accordance with his wishes, there would be a private funeral.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
His body will lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in state
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2025
Like her husband, Queen Sirikit will lie in state at the Grand Palace for one year before being cremated.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The group said Armani would lie in state in the Teatro Armani in Milan on September 6-7 and that, in accordance with his wishes, there would be a private funeral.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
His body will lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in state
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie in state.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20in%20state. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share