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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Ultimately, John went and lay down in a guest room for half of the party, drove himself home and died within the next 12 hours from a brain aneurysm.
—
Rebecca Edmisten, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Once the mattress was placed on the new queen bed frame, that first lay down was glorious.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2026
Drink now or lay down for a few years.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 2 Jan. 2026
Second Movement Next, place the roller behind you and lay down over it; this time with the roller perpendicular to your spine.
—Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Rebecca Edmisten, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Once the mattress was placed on the new queen bed frame, that first lay down was glorious.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2026
Drink now or lay down for a few years.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 2 Jan. 2026
Second Movement Next, place the roller behind you and lay down over it; this time with the roller perpendicular to your spine.
—Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
-
The city of Durham enacted a 60-day moratorium in May after residents also cited concerns about environmental impacts.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
-
The requirement, which Newsom enacted by executive order in March 2025, begins July 1 and requires all state workers to work in the office at least four days a week.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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On a sunny afternoon in May 2024, a hundred New England foodies gathered on the steps of the US Capitol to declare New Haven, Connecticut—in as official a manner as possible—the pizza capital of the United States.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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He was charged additionally with failing to declare consulting income on his tax returns from 2020 to 2022.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
Verb
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The Sheriff’s Department didn’t specify how many times the man was shot.—
Andrea Klick,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
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Winner is responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes, if any, as well as any other costs and expenses associated with Prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
In West Oakland, an old Greyhound terminal on Market Street converted to 102 apartments nearly a mile from a BART station relinquished the building back to the lender last year.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
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The complex case revolves around a 2004 transaction, in which Monet’s great-nephew agreed to relinquish a rare Monet painting depicting the artist’s father, Adolphe, to the internationally renowned Wildenstein gallery, in exchange for several paintings of lesser value.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The funding comes from California’s Senate Bill 1 program, the gas tax passed in 2017 that helps cities and counties pay for transportation projects.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
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It was closed in 1994 due to deterioration, and Kansas City residents passed a limited-run sales tax to support the building's restoration in 1998.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
At some point, though, gravity will surely assert itself.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
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The lawsuit asserts claims of legal malpractice and breach of contract against Balch & Bingham and Anulewicz.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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But Kyiv’s early embrace of drones, and the mass-industrialization of their accuracy and power, has begun to exact a defining toll on Moscow.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Taken together, those cultural threads help explain why food – and especially meat – carries an outsized symbolic role in Texas politics, where the official state dish, adopted in 1977, is chili, defined by its significant meat base.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes, this means an actual death is rendered on the page, but not always.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
However, the after-effects of the fire — smoke damage in staff areas, and the sprinkler system needing to be reset — rendered the building temporarily unsafe for people or animals.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
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 Jun. 2026.
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