1
as in to put
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
just lay the book over there on the table for now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
state officials tried to lay a tax on merchandise sold over the Internet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to prepare
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
the mason laid mortar over the first row of bricks before starting the second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
7
as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in to bury
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in ballad
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
she sang a short lay in dedication to her husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in work
the activity by which one regularly makes a living
my main lay is as a general contractor, but I do side work as a carpenter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in laic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of lay
Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
The lay community provides for monks and temples, in exchange for the spiritual currency of merit, which is believed to turn into good karma.
—Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025
Professional societies, meetings, the lay press and websites are all valuable sources of information.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Being in the highest tertile (one third for the lay person) of cardio health, Bhatt said, will add close to a decade to your life.
—John Werner, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Adjective
Tagle, who was also removed from his role, had been nominally president but was not involved in the day-to-day operations, which were overseen by a lay director-general.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
The lay community provides for monks and temples, in exchange for the spiritual currency of merit, which is believed to turn into good karma.
—Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025
Professional societies, meetings, the lay press and websites are all valuable sources of information.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Being in the highest tertile (one third for the lay person) of cardio health, Bhatt said, will add close to a decade to your life.
—John Werner, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
-
Every hard-working American deserves a living wage that helps put a roof over their head and food on the table–$7.25 an hour doesn't even come close.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2025
-
Fox One is launching by the fall, and puts sports at the forefront of its overall offering.—
John Cassillo,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
President Donald Trump credited the National Guard on Sunday for settling the protests against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in California.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2025
-
With the Yankees and Red Sox knotted up, the rivals will look to settle their first series of the season on Sunday Night Baseball.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
Now that Trump has sidestepped Congress and claimed the right to impose tariffs at will, Woldenberg is taking on the White House directly.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
-
The three executive orders will encourage the Federal Aviation Administration to expedite rules to allow companies to use drones beyond their operators' line of sight, while also imposing restrictions meant to help protect against terrorism, espionage and public safety threats.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
On the other hand, some small-business owners may only have an annual relationship with their accountant or tax professional, or even opt to prepare their taxes themselves.—
Vlad Rusz,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Weyman didn’t have long to prepare for the massive character milestone, but emphasized the importance of dialect to his portrayal of the Grey Wanderer.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
Others will spread into a shrub-like habit unless pruned.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
13 June 2025
-
The impact of the global pandemic has been even more widely felt, and is unlikely to fade from anyone’s memory any time soon as COVID-19 continues to spread, develop new variants, and take a toll on people whose recovery from the virus can take months, or even years.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
The player bet $250, hit spin and watched as the symbols flashed across the screen. $1M winner in 4 photos.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2025
-
With a robust slate, strategic partnerships, and international ambitions, the production house is betting big on content that travels — whether vertically on mobile screens or globally across borders.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
The latest results show the trend exists across demographic groups, even as some groups are slightly less likely to ascribe meaningful differences to the political parties.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
2 June 2025
-
With an Apple account solely dedicated to your Apple TV box and Apple TV hardware and software tracking disabled as much as possible, Apple would have minimal data to ascribe to you as an Apple TV owner.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 June 2025
Verb
-
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins buried a left circle wrister to cut the Panthers lead to 3-1, 3:33 into the second period.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
-
Many in Israel see such a confrontation as the best option—even though Iran’s nuclear facilities are spread across its territory, and some are buried deep underground, making any military campaign likely to be drawn-out, complicated, and hazardous.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share