as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place
be sure to lay in enough food for the long Alaska winter
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Recent Examples of lay in
The images showed homes with roofs blown off or damaged and debris laying in yards and driveways.
—
Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 18 June 2025
Where are annual cicadas found in NC? Cicadas begin life as eggs laid in twigs and usually stay near their birthplace as juveniles, Hayes said.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025
Eggs are laid in the fall and hatch the following spring.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Sarah Lampert: The groundwork for that was laid in Season 2.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 18 June 2025
Where are annual cicadas found in NC? Cicadas begin life as eggs laid in twigs and usually stay near their birthplace as juveniles, Hayes said.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025
Eggs are laid in the fall and hatch the following spring.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Sarah Lampert: The groundwork for that was laid in Season 2.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay in
Verb
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Artifacts and materials that were recovered during previous excavations of the area and stored in the Capitoline museum warehouses above have been brought down to the tunnels to be studied in their original context, D’Ambrosia says.—
Antonia Mortensen,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
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Plus, the armrests are extra wide and can be used to hold drinks, and the chairs are weather-resistant, foldable, and easy to store.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
23 July 2025
Verb
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In this system, money is stashed away and can’t be used for anything else.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
18 July 2025
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Rather than hand it back, the president stashed it in the inside pocket of his suit jacket, drawing criticism from viewers.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
17 July 2025
Verb
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The Queen Apparently only the queen bee lays eggs and can lay up to two thousand eggs a day, according to Garrison.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Female moths can lay up to 500 eggs at a time.7 Pantry moths are most destructive in their larval stage, so discouraging this stage will help prevent the infestation from spreading.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20in. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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