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
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
Death doesn’t scare the body because all the body wants
is to lie on the couch with a golf tournament on TV
but the mind is drip, drip, drip, drip, relentless.
—Campbell McGrath, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Inmates were handcuffed and forced to lie on scalding concrete in the prison yard, left to burn under the midday sun.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025
Bring binoculars or simply lie on a blanket and count shooting stars.
—West Virginia Tourism, AFAR Media, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie on/upon
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Dominique Fluker, Essence, 23 June 2025
Death doesn’t scare the body because all the body wants
is to lie on the couch with a golf tournament on TV
but the mind is drip, drip, drip, drip, relentless.
—Campbell McGrath, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Inmates were handcuffed and forced to lie on scalding concrete in the prison yard, left to burn under the midday sun.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025
Bring binoculars or simply lie on a blanket and count shooting stars.
—West Virginia Tourism, AFAR Media, 9 May 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 30 Jun. 2025.
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