lie with
verb
lay with; lain with; lying with; lies with
1
—used to say who has the blame or responsibility for something
Responsibility for the accident lies with the company.
2
literary
: to have sex with (someone)
when he first lay with her
Examples of lie with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The decision on whether to greenlight the transaction does not lie with mayors or even members of Congress, but the Justice Department and international regulators, as well as state attorneys general.
—
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
On term limits, Supervisor Paloma Aguirre stressed that the power to extend them will now lie with voters, not supervisors.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
If the Broncos don’t regain the title this weekend, their fate in making the 64-team tourney will lie with the selection committee.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2026
In a sweet video posted on Sunday, April 19, the 41-year-old reality star’s children could be seen lying with one another, with 3-year-old Tatum wearing pajamas while his 8-year-old sister True wore a pink T-shirt.
—Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie with
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.
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
On term limits, Supervisor Paloma Aguirre stressed that the power to extend them will now lie with voters, not supervisors.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
If the Broncos don’t regain the title this weekend, their fate in making the 64-team tourney will lie with the selection committee.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2026
In a sweet video posted on Sunday, April 19, the 41-year-old reality star’s children could be seen lying with one another, with 3-year-old Tatum wearing pajamas while his 8-year-old sister True wore a pink T-shirt.
—Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie with
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20with. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
