lay figures

plural of lay figure
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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay figures
Noun
  • That blast wasn’t the only time on Wednesday that the rookie showed off his physical tools.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
  • This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
    Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Gulf governments, meanwhile, have dabbled abroad as well, while trying to address grievances among their own Shia populations to prevent them from becoming pawns of Tehran.
    Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 15 June 2026
  • The organization is treating these athletes as political pawns instead of as young people with their own families, goals, futures and careers to think about.
    Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
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“Lay figures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figures. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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