lain

Definition of lainnext
past participle of lie
1
as in gone
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the train tracks lie just over that hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in hidden
to remain out of sight paparazzi were lying in wait outside the restaurant, a well-known celebrity hangout

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lain
Verb
  • For those who have long wished to see the brutally repressive regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gone, there is hope.
    Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The prize, founded in 2017 by Heather O’Donnell of Honey & Wax Booksellers and Rebecca Romney of Type Punch Matrix, seeks to celebrate a type of book collector who has often gone unnoticed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Phillips told Us Weekly there’d been the possibility of getting a kidney from her brother, Aron, but doctors ultimately turned him down.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2026
  • And there’ve been many times throughout filming this where Paul and I were just sort of stranded, the two of us, and that offers a huge opportunity to bond.
    Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • His concern extended beyond the precise question of the neutrality proclamation; Madison offered a more general admonition against bestowing war powers on a single, potentially flawed individual.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
  • This academic year, the district extended the school day for elementary students by 20 minutes.
    Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Levi Jones, a 33-year-old business owner, pulled up to Sacred Eye Tattoos in Hollywood last week and sat for eight hours getting a photorealistic black-and-white portrait of Mangione on his leg.
    Amanda Rosa, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The birthday boy and his big sister Sterling Skye, 3, each sat between one of their parents’ laps.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The foundation of San Diego’s fast start has been an organized, increasingly authoritative defensive spine led by Christopher McVey, Manu Duah and Kieran Sargeant.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The Anteaters just haven’t been led by a natural scorer like Hunter Hernandez in a long time.
    Dan Arritt, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Police said Baima had robbed a BMO bank branch before running from officers and pointing what appeared to be a handgun at them.
    Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Harris, a Democrat who ran for the seat in 2024, is a retired Brigadier General who spent 40 years in the military before becoming a cattle producer in Polk County.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 11 Mar. 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Lain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lain. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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