lay 1 of 4

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2
as in to settle
to cause to come to rest at the bottom (as of a liquid) the rain was just hard enough to lay the dust in the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in to bet
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event I'll lay five dollars that you can't do it

Synonyms & Similar Words

7
as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring

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lay

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noun (1)

lay

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noun (2)

lay

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adjective

Examples of lay in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Whether viewed as a romp, a relic, or a route to commiseration, the series about four friends trying to find love (or at least a good lay) in the world’s most competitive concrete jungle has stood the test of time. John Ortved, Vogue, 29 June 2024 As a lay coach, Moore coached while also working a job outside of the education field. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 26 June 2024
Adjective
The Legislature passed the measure idly as a meaningless gift to its drafter, John W. Butler, a lay preacher who hadn’t passed any other bill. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024 Almost all of that — the risk calculus, the debate — was invisible to the lay visitor on the opening afternoon. Eric Boodman, STAT, 16 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lay 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
  • Just as important can be putting things in context.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2024
  • This puts a surprisingly sinister spin on the series, revealing that Agatha was planning to murder her new coven from the very beginning, and simply played along once the Road revealed itself.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Strong credit helped, while those companies with lesser credit often settled for buildings in suboptimal locations.
    David Marino, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
  • The two called it quits in 2018 and settled their divorce.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Additionally, there’s widespread support for Prop. 36, a November ballot measure that imposes stricter penalties for retail theft, among other things.
    Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
  • During the 2021-22 session of the California Legislature, Golden State lawmakers and Governor Gavin Newsom (D) enacted Assembly Bill 257, legislation that created the first state Fast Food Council, a new Sacramento bureaucracy tasked with imposing costly new regulations on franchisees.
    Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • But even as committed to that idea as Jason may have been, none of us were prepared to the degree to which people love this show.
    Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 1 Nov. 2024
  • His said his only regret was making the decision known when passions are heated so close to Election Day; the paper’s editorial staff had reportedly prepared an endorsement of Democrat Kamala Harris.
    David Bauder, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • This is especially urgent with a spreading infection.
    Lizzie Presser and Kavitha Surana, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
  • With bitcoin flirting with fresh all-time-highs – reflecting both optimism for bitcoin overall as well as continued inflows into spot ETF products – this uptick has spread to other areas of the crypto economy.
    Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The user bet $28.6 million on the former president from four different accounts.
    Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • General Motors is betting heavily on electric vehicles and taking extraordinary steps to control supplies of battery raw materials ahead of widespread EV adoption.
    Joann Muller, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Data collected in the late 1800s and early 1900s suggested different races have different lung capacities, a phenomenon researchers ascribed to innate biology rather than social, economic or environmental factors.
    Cassandra Willyard, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
  • Only Keynesians ascribe an ability of governments to increase demand, but that’s to the everlasting discredit of Keynesianism.
    John Tamny, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Many of those missing are buried in clandestine graves all across the country.
    Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Once the toast of the Twin Cities, and a large part of the NFL-aware public, the Vikings are in danger of being buried in the NFC North.
    Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 1 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near lay

Cite this Entry

“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

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