as in tools
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 figures
Noun
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The story summaries above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026 -
Samuel Boivin | Nurphoto | Getty Images Cloudflare's stock gained 5% Wednesday after the company beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter estimates and issued upbeat guidance as artificial intelligence adoption fuels demand for its networking and security tools.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Government shutdowns are avoidable and harmful to families, workers, the economy and federal workers shouldn’t be pawns.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
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Rhode Island activist Nicole Solas said adults shouldn't use students as pawns in political games.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Lay figures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figures. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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