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
Everyone knew what future lay in store for the bottom 10 percent.
—
George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
While 3-4 won’t get you there, the first steps clearly lay in the coming days.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
Liverpool’s pursuit of Champions League qualification lay in tatters.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
For Dickinson, the greater challenge lay in finding the right tone to strike around the film’s sensitive subject matter of homelessness and mental health.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay in
George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
While 3-4 won’t get you there, the first steps clearly lay in the coming days.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
Liverpool’s pursuit of Champions League qualification lay in tatters.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
For Dickinson, the greater challenge lay in finding the right tone to strike around the film’s sensitive subject matter of homelessness and mental health.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay in
Verb
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More than 12,000 scrolls were once stored inside this second-century center of learning before a fire destroyed them in 262 CE.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Mammals and reptiles were commonly treated with formalin before being stored in alcohol, while invertebrates were often preserved directly in formaldehyde or mixed solutions containing additives such as glycerol or propylene glycol.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While most of us can tackle tidying up our homes every so often, that just might involve stashing stuff in closets, attics, garages, craft rooms, and storage sheds.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
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Jon Hallford, a southern Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 200 decomposing bodies and gave families fake ashes, was sentenced on state charges on Friday.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward Marta Suárez (7) lays up a first half shot against the Houston Cougars during the first half at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, February 4, 2026.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
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The only time the Fitzgerald made it to its homeport of Milwaukee was when the ship was laid up during the 1959 steel strike, from June to October.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 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 14 Feb. 2026.
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