as in tool
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
the novel's characters are not fully fleshed humans, but are simply lay figures strutted out to serve as mouthpieces for conflicting points of view
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay figure
Noun
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The innovation could pave the way for medical tools that move through the body’s arteries or inspection devices that crawl into complex machinery.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025 -
Toys, even ones marketed as tools for the imagination, are never value neutral.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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My values include the beliefs that all of our students should feel safe, respected, and valued in our schools, that decisions should be made on the best available evidence and data, that our kids are not political pawns, that inclusion creates opportunity, and that schools shouldn’t ban books.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
15 Oct. 2025
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Remember the big picture, people, and stop using taxpayers as pawns, or worse yet, collateral damage.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
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“Lay figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figure. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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