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 godless
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of lay
CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
One of the most common rituals is for royal brides to lay their bouquet on a tomb, at a chapel, or by a religious statue.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Delbarton publicly acknowledged in 2018 that at least 30 men had come forward with allegations that, over three decades, 13 past or current priests and monks at the school had victimized them — in addition to a lay faculty member who is now retired.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Verb
Biologists say the Chinook salmon population declined dramatically after years of drought, disrupting the fish's migration upstream to lay their eggs.
—CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
One of the most common rituals is for royal brides to lay their bouquet on a tomb, at a chapel, or by a religious statue.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Both memoirs prepare the lay gambler for a world of gruelling, bruising defeats and unglamorous back-of-the-envelope calculus.
—Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Delbarton publicly acknowledged in 2018 that at least 30 men had come forward with allegations that, over three decades, 13 past or current priests and monks at the school had victimized them — in addition to a lay faculty member who is now retired.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
-
Simply put, there’s no way that your husband won’t have to deal with this.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
At this point, as one aide put it, Tisza is Magyar, and Magyar is Tisza.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While the daily hustle is just beginning for many, evidenced by the amount of foot traffic spotted passing by through the glass windows of the hotel’s restaurant, Jeff Peterson settles in to momentarily enjoy the Hornets’ metamorphosis and enthusiasm engulfing the franchise.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The ball bounced back toward the hole and ended up settling off the green.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Armed groups impose rules, enforce discipline and punish violations with violence.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The growing apathy toward big-screen entertainment was also owed to the patina of all-American wholesomeness that studios imposed on their stables of stars, and the nothing-to-see-here style of movie journalism was wearing thin.—
Joshua John Miller,
Vanity Fair,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Despite intelligence that Saigon would be overrun by the North Vietnamese Army in a matter of days, the American Ambassador, Graham Martin, refused to prepare for an evacuation.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The only lockers with equipment left in them belonged to Alexandre Carrier and Noah Dobson, the team’s only two right-shot defencemen, two players who were clearly not boarding that flight the team’s equipment staff was preparing for.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Phoenix spreads over a whopping 517 square miles, and that’s not even including adjacent towns like Scottsdale and Tempe.—
Chris Malloy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Thirty Years’ War, which was concluded by the Peace of Westphalia, in 1648, spread across mainland Europe and killed some eight million people.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Republicans are betting that a shift back to economic messaging after weeks of war in Iran will help reset the political landscape ahead of the midterm elections.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of betting everything on one approach, companies are spreading their bets across multiple technologies.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Another Readymade ascribed to Rrose, Fresh Widow (1920), features a scale model of a French window with panels of black leather covering the glass.—
Howard Halle,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In 2023, an agency spokeswoman even ascribed the blame in part to holidays.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bishop acquired the property, intending to preserve the inactive cemetery as a memorial site for the military veterans buried there, some dating back to the Civil War.—
Nicole Comstock,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Three other Syrian relatives were also killed in the Ain Mreisseh strike and were buried on Saturday in the town of al-Shuhail in Deir el-Zour, after the family split upon returning to Syria.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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 14 Apr. 2026.
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