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
Use this energy to reclaim your space, tend to your inner child, and lay down new roots that are built on integrity, not illusion.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 21 Sep. 2025
Witnessing the Gallaghers lay down their arms to deliver one of rock music’s most triumphant comeback stories has made Shultz reflect on sharing his band — and life — with his brother, Brad.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Release the hostages and lay down your weapons—or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Now the Colts, who haven’t won a season opener since 2013, won’t just see those numbers and lay down.
—Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 21 Sep. 2025
Witnessing the Gallaghers lay down their arms to deliver one of rock music’s most triumphant comeback stories has made Shultz reflect on sharing his band — and life — with his brother, Brad.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Release the hostages and lay down your weapons—or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Now the Colts, who haven’t won a season opener since 2013, won’t just see those numbers and lay down.
—Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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If enacted, many of the policies laid out could significantly alter the day-to-day lives of NASA workers and transform the 67-year-old agency.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
-
But thus far, the promise has yet to be enacted by his Administration.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Then, amid the noise, athletic director Chris McIntosh jolted the fan base by declaring that Fickell would return in 2026 — even as the Badgers sat 2-6 with an offense ranked 134th of 136 nationally.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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To address the challenges at hand, a measured approach is needed, grounded in the basic principle of respect for human rights, as declared by the UN Human Rights Commission at Colombia’s request in July 2023.—
Gustavo Petro,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The agency did not specify the location or extent of the damage.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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The move could result in thousands of flight cancellations each day, although officials have not specified which airports would be affected.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Though Judge and Simon were legally granted equal custody of their three children upon their split, Judge relinquished custody of Sidney to Simon after their daughter opted to live with him full time.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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According to the Associated Press, US Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell released Ortiz on a $500,000 bond, mandated that the 26-year-old relinquish his passport, and restricted his travel to the local area, among other stipulations.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In response, Delaware last March passed a law to make the state more alluring, to which Texas quickly counter-punched with an even friendlier law.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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No ordinance was passed that declared the bottom 5 percent of Burgher children (later raised to 10) superfluous, but this was the beginning of a long period of economic contraction throughout the empire, and competition for a dwindling supply of guild positions became intense.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 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.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
9 Nov. 2025
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China has undertaken a massive expansion of sites linked to missile production since 2020, bolstering its ability to potentially deter the US military and assert its dominance in the region, a new CNN analysis of satellite images, maps and government notices reveals.—
Tamara Qiblawi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Millennials, typically defined as individuals born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s, are now at a point in their lives where their generational nostalgia is front and center.—
Saba Hamedy,
NBC news,
7 Nov. 2025
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The next two years will test how well Republicans can walk that line, using Mamdani to define the left without letting Newsom define himself.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For centuries, the doctrine of coverture rendered married women the property of their husbands with no legal rights of their own.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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This gray panel matches the collar and Wings logo, and the rest of the upper is rendered in white and off-white.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 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 11 Nov. 2025.
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