as in self
the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others
had the feeling that the natives were of a different clay than us and that neither side would ever understand the other
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clay
Another mistake is planting hostas in heavy, clay soil that alternates between soggy and rock hard.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Johnston notes that hydrogen peroxide can be used on blood, red wine, pet stains, and clay mud.
—Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
Born enslaved around 1800 in Edgefield, South Carolina, a region known for its rich clay, Drake (who was also known as Dave the Potter) was one of relatively few African American potters to sign his work.
—Jori Finkel, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Combining centuries-old Jewish folklore with the then-new medium of cinema, Paul Wegener and Carl Boese’s pioneering horror film draws its inspiration from a legend about a life-sized clay figure — a golem — that came to life to protect the Jews of Prague.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clay
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2025
Johnston notes that hydrogen peroxide can be used on blood, red wine, pet stains, and clay mud.
—Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2025
Born enslaved around 1800 in Edgefield, South Carolina, a region known for its rich clay, Drake (who was also known as Dave the Potter) was one of relatively few African American potters to sign his work.
—Jori Finkel, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Combining centuries-old Jewish folklore with the then-new medium of cinema, Paul Wegener and Carl Boese’s pioneering horror film draws its inspiration from a legend about a life-sized clay figure — a golem — that came to life to protect the Jews of Prague.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for clay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clay
Noun
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Unless the category could be brought under control, the excess threatened to self-propagate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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Recently, Weng has co-authored two studies that help ensure smooth motion and self-balance in robots.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The most popular images depicting families are centered around nature and farmwork, leaving out indoor bonding activities like sharing meals, getting ready for work and school, playing games and shopping.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
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Making room for levity is, then, a way of admitting the human—not through the granular and intimate detail that lends Ferrante’s novels their power but through a broader concession to nature.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Smartphones and digital cameras are more sensitive to the array of colors and may be able to capture images of the auroras, even if not visible to the naked eye, according to NASA.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
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This year-round sneaker comes in a wide variety of colors, including this neutral blue denim, dark rose, black, red, green, light, blue, and more.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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With a more silver-forward tone than the other evergreen-heavy garlands on this list, Pottery Barn’s faux juniper option is sure to provide a welcome contrast from the rest of your holiday decor.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
5 Nov. 2025
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The neutral tones and organic elements of the hotel’s 349 rooms and suites soothe the spirit and mirror the otherworldly atmosphere of the Riviera Maya.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Xi’s predecessor Jiang Zemin, who served as president between 1993 and 2003, was known for his flamboyant personality, cosmopolitan flair and willingness to show off his language skills and interact with journalists.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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The body paint looks as if it were done with skin-tight leggings, while the television personality appears to be topless under the paint.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Clay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clay. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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