1
as in enacted
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declared
to state clearly and strongly
at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in specified
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relinquished
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laid down
Verb
-
Dozens of state laws enacted in recent years mandate that cities do their part to address California’s housing crisis by creating new homes at all income levels.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026 -
Four years into the Great Depression, Congress enacted the National Industrial Recovery Act as part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal to stimulate the economy.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The backstory Lizard Island was declared a National Park in 1937, the surrounding waters were recognised as a National Marine Park in 1974, and the Great Barrier Reef was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
One further source said Madrid were planning on concluding the deal for Dumfries following the outcome of Sunday’s presidential election, so long as Perez is declared the winner as is expected.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
As of publication time, law enforcement officials had not specified whether the arrest was related to immigration enforcement activities.—
Sofi Zeman,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
-
The ruling specified that use of force and isolation for failure to work were unconstitutional.—
Julia Bowling,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Parry got out in front from the start, when Anisimova missed on a forehand and never relinquished the lead.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
-
Days after being released on a 1 million-euro bail, the company announced that the 45-year-old has temporarily relinquished his roles as vice chairman and as a member of the board of directors.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Certainly not that of artists; over the last twenty years, the gatekeeping function has passed from critics to curators to a few major dealers to collectors themselves.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
According to county officials cited by WIBC, Habib also passed the federal E-Verify employment-authorization check during onboarding.—
Alexandra Koch , Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Still, Miami Beach officials asserted that the Fontainebleau would need approval from the city’s Historic Preservation Board to advance the project, despite the new law limiting the power of local boards to force changes.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
-
Roberts' defense asserted in its May 22 sentencing brief, unsealed Wednesday, that probation rather than prison time would be appropriate.—
Kyle Werner,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
But unlike previous tournaments dominated by television commercials and corporate sponsorships, this World Cup may ultimately be defined by creators.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
For more than 60 years, Sanlorenzo has defined Italian excellence in yacht building, crafting custom superyachts that combine refined design with innovative engineering.—
Rachel Ingram,
Robb Report,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
The Justice Department alleges the two businesses submitted fraudulent claims for services that were never rendered.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
The order rendered her previous efforts meaningless.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Laid down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laid%20down. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
