lay 1 of 4

verb

ˈlā How to pronounce lay (audio)
Definition of laynext
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

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
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

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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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8
as in to bury
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea lay the corpse to rest

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lay

2 of 4

noun (1)

ˈlā How to pronounce lay (audio)
1
as in melody
a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect the minstrel strummed a cheerful lay on his lute

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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

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lay

3 of 4

noun (2)

ˈlā How to pronounce lay (audio)
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lay

4 of 4

adjective

as in godless

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Dissimilar Words

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
Verb
Kelce did lay it on a little thick when praising Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni for calling a timeout late in the first half. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 The goal is to lay the groundwork to start production in the back half of 2027. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Adjective
However, lay reading is not the way that people have, historically speaking, interfaced with the classics. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 And frankly, even as a lay person, looking at the signatures, Eric did not sign that document. — Natalie Morales, CBS News, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
  1. put
  2. settle
  3. impose
  4. prepare
  5. spread
  6. bet
  7. ascribe
  8. bury
Verb
  • The blaze sparked evacuation orders for the Encinal Canyon area near Trancas Canyon and put a larger swath of Malibu under an evacuation warning.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Rays need a win here to tie up the series, and the Guardians want a win to put Tampa Bay’s back against the wall.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of put
Verb
  • On the industry side, Serielizados Pro has settled into its identity as a boutique forum.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Composed of the Hernández brothers (Jorge, Hernán, Eduardo and Luis) and cousin Óscar Lara, Los Tigres Del Norte was founded in the late 1960s in the Sinaloan town of Rosa Morada and settled in San José.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of settle
Verb
  • The ban had been imposed by the central elections committee, a political body dominated by Netanyahu allies, on the basis that the parties supported armed struggle against Israel.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The restrictions, imposed without warning early Thursday, cut the internet data connection when a communication terminal moves faster than 100 mph.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of impose
Verb
  • Commercial incentives persist Koh said shipping companies around the world have continued looking for opportunities to navigate the Strait since the conflict erupted, with some operators prepared to accept higher risks and costs.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The creative team is currently developing the treatment and preparing to engage potential partners about the longer version.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of prepare
Verb
  • That’s $280 billion from firms like Singapore’s Bitdeer, Australia’s Graphinex, Belgium’s UCB, South Korea’s Korea Zinc, and Japan’s Isuzu Motors, spread across more than 345 projects.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The company’s new Aura software measures hive health, pollen counts, and pesticide prevalence across its 2,200 hives spread around more than 70 cities.
    — Drew Robb, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of spread
Verb
  • Fed funds futures traders are largely betting that the central bank will raise rates at least once in 2027, according to CME's FedWatch data as of Tuesday.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Among investors, even some of the world’s most successful contrarians—who make their fortunes betting against conventional wisdom—are embracing the idea that AI could yield bigger benefits more rapidly than any past technological advance.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of bet
Verb
  • The effect was similar to the one writer Joan Morgan ascribes to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Her presence, too, is felt in the people who now inhabit the space, like her granddaughter Charley, 25, whose easy warmth recalls qualities long ascribed to the matriarch.
    — Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of ascribe
Verb
  • Their deaths had been concealed, and their remains buried on site.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Florida woman accused of killing her boyfriend and burying him in a shallow grave was found guilty of his murder.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bury

Phrases Containing lay

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laxness
lay
layabout
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Cite this Entry

“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lay

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