lie on/upon

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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lie on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster