waylay

verb

way·​lay ˈwā-ˌlā 

waylaid ˈwā-ˌlād  ; waylaying; waylays

transitive verb

1

: to lie in wait for or attack (someone) from ambush

… he had been waylaid, bound hand and foot, and thrown into a marsh. But he got out again, somehow, to cause a great deal of trouble yet.

—Charles Dickens

2

: to temporarily stop the movement or progress of (someone or something)

The barkeeper, Tony, would come out of his saloon and wait to waylay the men going home. He could always entice a man with a full pocket into his saloon.

—Meridel Le Sueur

I can get waylaid by tangential thoughts and associations in mid-sentence, and this leads to parentheses, subordinate clauses, sentences of paragraphic length. I never use one adjective if six seem to me better and, in their cumulative effect, more incisive.

—Oliver Sacks

Synonyms of waylay

• ambush
• attack

Examples of waylay in a Sentence

Gangs sometimes waylay travelers on that road.

We were waylaid by a group of kids with water balloons.

Recent Examples on the Web

But in the meantime, on their nut-selling quest, Zuriko and Gela are unfortunately — though perhaps inevitably, given that in these parts Murphy’s law is the only one strictly observed — waylaid by highway robbers. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

On Stranger Tides featured Depp but no Knightley or Bloom) before both Depp and Rush were waylaid by legal troubles. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2026

They are unfortunately waylaid first by Chase, then by Taylor’s own hair trigger. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

That past haunts Léo throughout his week-long trip to the City of Lights, where he’s waylaid before heading to Italy to deal with the death of his estranged and supposedly wealthy father. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for waylay

• airway
• allay
• archway
• array
• ashtray
• assez
• astray
• aue
• away
• ballet
• belay
• beltway

Kids Definition

waylay

verb

way·​lay ˈwā-ˌlā 

waylaid -ˌlād  ; waylaying

: to attack from a hiding place