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
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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
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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
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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
Salazar capitalized, laying down a bunt single that Freeland threw into right field for an error, allowing Dubon to score.
—
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2025
Mother and daughter butted heads, especially when Trina Frierson started laying down house rules, and Kenishea Frierson, used to setting her own rules, pushed back hard.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Shortly after her birth in October 2019, Georgia posted a picture of the then-newborn laying down with her head turned toward the TV — which had none other than Doctor Who playing on it.
—Audrey Schmidt, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Tan carpet, quarter-inch, laid down right onto the concrete.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2025
Mother and daughter butted heads, especially when Trina Frierson started laying down house rules, and Kenishea Frierson, used to setting her own rules, pushed back hard.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Shortly after her birth in October 2019, Georgia posted a picture of the then-newborn laying down with her head turned toward the TV — which had none other than Doctor Who playing on it.
—Audrey Schmidt, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Tan carpet, quarter-inch, laid down right onto the concrete.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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Congress had enacted byzantine eligibility requirements for disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits, forcing the agency to expend huge amounts of time and money running those programs.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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Chérizier, 48, who’s been actively meeting with former rivals, may be trying to duplicate the conditions in Carrefour, a sprawling suburb south of the capital where gangs now settle disputes, enact rules and profit from residents’ commercial activities.—
Johnny Fils-Aimé,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Close relatives of the federal official who has accused a Federal Reserve governor of improperly claiming primary residence on two properties have declared the same status on two homes in two different states, public records show.—
Marisa Taylor,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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He was declared dead at the scene, according to Capt.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cannon-Brookes wouldn’t specify whether Atlassian considered buying Google’s browser.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
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Eufy didn’t specify if the Marwalker will eventually be compatible with other robot vacuums.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In May 2025, Kraft Heinz announced a strategic review aimed at unlocking shareholder value, and Berkshire Hathaway relinquished its board seats, signaling potential structural changes.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Shortly after Rose took the helm at the pageant, both Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava relinquished their titles.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The seven restaurants on the Sick and Shut Down List were allowed to reopen after passing re-inspection.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
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But with each passing summer of enormous transfer spending, the chances of turning the boat around fade ever further.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To review or object to instances where our partners assert a legitimate interest in utilizing your data, please visit our vendors page.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
8 Sep. 2025
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Wall asserts that on Etsy, customers often expect prices in the $20-30 range, leaving you with maybe five dollars in profit.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mercenaries are defined as soldiers who are contracted by third parties unaffiliated with a nation’s armed forces and motivated primarily by private gain.—
Rebecca Johns,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
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Rivalries that are long in tenure and thick with hatred define college sports in the Deep South, where football is second only to faith in some places.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Here, Ne Zha 2 succeeds wildly; locales such as a heavenly city made entirely of jade and a towering, bamboo-verdant waterfall are rendered with genuinely beautiful texture and detail.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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All rendered by paleolithic artists using charcoal and red ochre.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
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 9 Sep. 2025.
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