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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay down
Then my sister lay down next to me.
—
NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
Millions of Russian men, unwilling to take on lower-status work, lay down on the couch and took to drink.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Second, disassociate from Hamas and other terrorist groups, including Iran, lay down all arms, and come to the table with a plan to live in harmony with Israel.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Hamas fighters who lay down their arms will also be given amnesty and allowed to leave Gaza under the plan.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
Millions of Russian men, unwilling to take on lower-status work, lay down on the couch and took to drink.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Second, disassociate from Hamas and other terrorist groups, including Iran, lay down all arms, and come to the table with a plan to live in harmony with Israel.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Hamas fighters who lay down their arms will also be given amnesty and allowed to leave Gaza under the plan.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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Instead, California government has preferred to move quickly to enact laws to limit indoor residential water use.—
Daniel Kolkey,
Oc Register,
9 Mar. 2026
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Kaup said several neighboring communities — including Highland Park, Deerfield and Vernon Hills — have enacted similar bans.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Bahrain’s national oil company declared force majeure for its shipments after an Iranian attack set its refinery complex ablaze.—
Alex Veiga,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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When an advisory is declared, impacted residents should not drink or use the tap water for preparing food or brushing teeth without boiling it first, the public utility said.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Apple isn't specifying what changes were made—likely a combination of a wider-bandwidth controller, faster NAND flash for lower latency, and platform-level improvements introduced with the M5-series chips—but the company does claim up to two-times-faster SSD performance.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
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Paramedics took two people to the hospital with unknown injuries, but police did not specify which vehicles those people were in.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Our hope is that the Islamic Republic will relinquish power and transfer it to the people.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
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China, historically the largest driver of the country’s overall trade deficit in goods, has relinquished its status in that regard.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The board approved four labor contracts with smaller unions and unanimously passed a resolution seeking to avoid contracts with firms with ties to immigration enforcement.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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His pressure rate numbers are remarkable — even if his sack numbers aren’t — which is great news for a Panthers pass rush that was among the worst in the league last year.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What looked like a Plum showcase during the first half gradually turned into a Mist surge as Stewart began asserting herself on both ends of the floor.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
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Macron said France is expending diplomatic capital to ensure a return to calm and to allow for the Lebanese armed forces to assert themselves as Israel pounds Hezbollah positions.—
Sylvie Corbet,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That contrast — a polished surface concealing something sinister — appears to define the show’s visual and emotional language.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
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Psychosis is defined as when a person experiences an alteration in their perception of reality, impacting their ability to think clearly and manage their emotions.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three of these factors played a key role in rendering the AXIS mission ineligible for selection.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
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At the conclusion of closing arguments, the court will issue a decision or the jury will render a verdict.—
Florence Taylor Barner,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
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 13 Mar. 2026.
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