as in tool
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
the novel's characters are not fully fleshed humans, but are simply lay figures strutted out to serve as mouthpieces for conflicting points of view
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay figure
Noun
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Gardening Tools Garden tools should be cleaned after every use to remove fungi, bacteria, and pests that can be transferred to healthy plants.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026 -
And keep your in-flight essentials like headphones, sleep mask, e-reader, and other tech tools together in your personal item that stays with you at the seat rather than in the overhead bin.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Where the film succeeds is in its depiction of John and Greta as pawns of larger societal forces.—
Sarah Weinman,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
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Some pawn shop owners are watching the disbursement of SNAP benefits closely, said Clay Baron, owner of Dave’s A Pawnshop in downtown El Paso, Texas.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
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“Lay figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figure. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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