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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From eye masks for red-eye flights to travel makeup bags, packing cubes, luggage scales, and more, these are the tools that keep overpacking (and overthinking) at bay.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Jan. 2026 -
Best Amazon Outlet Outdoor Deals Although the weather is cold and dreary, now is the time to get the hottest deals on outdoor items, especially garden tools, potting benches, and planters.—
Paige Bennett,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Arabs deliberately placed the Arab refugees and their descendants in refugee camps as pawns in the propaganda war against Israel.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
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Because these prices haven't come in, because the Chinese actually used our soybean farmers as pawns in the trade negotiations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2025
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“Lay figures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figures. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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