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
  • Nearly 13,000 barrels of crude oil were dumped into nearby Mill Creek, prompting a 24/7 cleanup restoration lasting a little over a month.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026
  • Norway’s talisman, the man looking to dump England out of the World Cup quarter-finals later today, was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of dump
Verb
  • Wipe the blade clean and store the circular saw in a safe location.
    — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
  • The surprisingly spacious material easily stores your essentials, including your phone, keys, wallet, sunglasses, and more.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2026
Definition of store
Verb
  • Spinach dip, sweet cream and cream cheese had dates on them that were past due and should have been discarded.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2026
Definition of discard
Verb
  • 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
  • The source of Soloviev’s angst lay in part in growing up with a father who was one of the more imposing, cantankerous figures in the history of New York real estate — a demographic with stiff competition.
    — Reeves Wiedeman, Curbed, 22 June 2026
Definition of lay in
Verb
  • Opt for the Vionic Walk Max Sneakers that’ll tempt you to ditch your other kicks altogether.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 10 July 2026
  • Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have been recovering their rockets since 2015, saving vast amounts of money by recycling them rather than ditching them after liftoff.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • Whether that means keeping your favorite lip gloss on-hand for a touch-up in the car or stashing your favorite jeans into your carry-on for back-up, choose a travel capsule wardrobe that covers every possible activity.
    — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 13 July 2026
  • The larger case easily stows a Kindle or iPad Mini, power bank, digital camera, earbuds, and more; the smaller one stashes cords and adapters.
    — Morgan Ashley Parker, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
Definition of stash
Verb
  • Eric Torres, a crane operator with Local 10 who has worked in the C&H Company facility, said sugar never hits the ground when unloaded there.
    — Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Firefighters told police that when Jackson pulled in, unloaded his firearm and cleared the chamber.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 7 July 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lay by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20by. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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