1
as in to enact
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to declare
to state clearly and strongly
at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments
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3
as in to specify
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment
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4
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay down
As Lebanon reels from an ongoing cross-border conflict with Israel and years of economic meltdown, Hezbollah may also face pressure from its own constituency to lay down its arms, Woods said.
—
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Listen up students, Professor Coogler is present for class and ready to lay down some knowledge.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025
Japan's sovereignty extends to the airspace over its territorial sea that measures 12 nautical miles (13.8 miles) from its coastline, says the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which lays down a regime of law and order in the world's oceans and seas.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
This explains Microsoft aggressively laying down an AI foundation with Copilot (and, by the way, investing heavily in data with offerings like Microsoft Fabric).
—Jason Andersen, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Listen up students, Professor Coogler is present for class and ready to lay down some knowledge.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025
Japan's sovereignty extends to the airspace over its territorial sea that measures 12 nautical miles (13.8 miles) from its coastline, says the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which lays down a regime of law and order in the world's oceans and seas.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
This explains Microsoft aggressively laying down an AI foundation with Copilot (and, by the way, investing heavily in data with offerings like Microsoft Fabric).
—Jason Andersen, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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The Florida Sheriff's Association announced in February that all county jails had signed agreements in compliance with a state law enacted in 2022.—
Julia Ingram,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
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Republicans are hoping to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, which caps how much money the Treasury Department can owe to pay the country’s bills, by up to $5 trillion this year as part of a larger package to extend expiring tax cuts enacted through Trump’s signature 2017 tax law.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Country sandals Glamour has declared this genre of leather footwear—strappy, Western-inspired, and usually outfitted with metal hardware—country sandals.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
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In response, Bukele declared a state of exception, which is still in effect, suspending many of the country’s due process rights and commencing a wave of mass arrests.—
Danielle Mackey,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In her account posted on Wednesday, April 9, the woman — who does not specify her own age — explained that a 17-year-old family member gave birth to her first baby the previous day.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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The state police did not specify when the DNA profile was created.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Fittingly posted on a Wednesday (April 23), the two-minute preview opens with Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday making her way back to Nevermore Academy, a journey that involves the teenager reluctantly relinquishing her many weapons to TSA agents at an airport.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
23 Apr. 2025
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But the Trump administration is now relinquishing its influence over the multilateral system, preferring instead to handle countries one by one, transaction by transaction.—
Ngaire Woods,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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On Capitol Hill, details are still under wraps as Republican lawmakers this year try to pass a major tax and spending bill that is seen as the primary vehicle for Trump's second-term agenda.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
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Photo: Ash James As an expansive, 2,000-acre estate that’s been passed down through the same family for generations, São Lourenço do Barrocal offers perhaps the most authentic introduction to the region.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Thirteen judges already fired since Trump started his second term filed a class appeal earlier this month, asserting that they had been wrongfully terminated.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
22 Apr. 2025
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Read has pleaded not guilty, denied killing O'Keefe and alleged she is being framed, attempting to sow reasonable doubt in prosecutors' claims and asserting that someone else killed O'Keefe and had ties to and influence over the investigation.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And what will define a successful correspondents' dinner for the Hilton?—
Major Garrett,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2025
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Non-discrimination practices were defined as interventions like diversity training.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The ability to render the real world using charcoal is utter trickery.—
Emily Wilson,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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The awesome death of John Wick needed to be rendered null and void so that Keanu Reeves could come back.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20down. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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