lay by

verb

Definition of lay bynext
1
as in to dump
to get rid of as useless or unwanted a politician who had laid by his principles years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place ever since the last hurricane caught them unprepared, they have laid by emergency supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay by
  1. dump
  2. store
  3. discard
  4. lay in
  5. ditch
  6. stash
  7. unload
  8. lay up
Verb
  • The storm dumped more than a foot of rain over parts of the state, with the highest elevations getting more than 40 inches.
    — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The only other crime series out recently on Netflix are true-crime offerings, where a few of those are dumped out every week.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of dump
Verb
  • Court documents allege that MacLean and Taylor sold human body parts to numerous buyers and that MacLean also stored and sold remains in Kat's Creepy Creations, her store in Salem, Massachusetts.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The material forms the anode, where lithium ions are stored while the battery charges.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of store
Verb
  • O’Keefe’s appeal proved successful on Friday, when the three-judge panel agreed, with one judge dissenting in part, to discard the $130,000 damages judgment.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
  • For easier replanting, discard the woody central clump of the plant before dividing.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of discard
Verb
  • The walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins – broken down, exposed, and vulnerable.
    — Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026
  • The victim lay in a pool of his own blood for more than two hours before being found by another deputy.
    — Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of lay in
Verb
  • French Gates argued balancing philanthropy, advocacy for reproductive rights, motherhood, writing, and entrepreneurship means ditching perfectionism.
    — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
  • At the end, the two friends drive off in different directions, with Brian deciding to ditch their high-octane lifestyles to focus on his family.
    — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • There’s also a hidden pocket between the straps, just big enough to stash lip balm, earbuds, jewelry, cash, credit cards, or other small items.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Multiple internal and external compartments keep you ultra-organized; and there’s a dedicated laptop pocket for stashing your computer.
    — Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of stash
Verb
  • Unloading began the following evening but progressed slowly, and only the fish manure and oil drums ended up being unloaded.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Before shoppers arrive, Bostic and other volunteers unload deliveries and stock the shelves.
    — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of unload
Verb
  • Mayflies lay up to 10,000 eggs in the water, and their nymphs can't survive in water that is polluted.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
  • Female wasps can lay up to 200 eggs a day as long as a host insect is available.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 19 June 2026
Definition of lay up
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.

Browse Nearby Words

lay back
lay by
lay down
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Cite this Entry

“Lay by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20by. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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