1
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
she lays the butter on so thickly that you hardly taste the bagel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to employ
chiefly British
to provide with a paying job
lay on more staff for the busy tourist season in the Lake District
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay on
Verb
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The pop-up was announced by only one social media post, but word spread.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026 -
Four bedrooms and five bathrooms are spread across roughly 6,200 square feet, where a floating glass staircase connects two switchback-style levels.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Although subsequent work employed modern technology — from digital modeling software to industrial robots — an underlying rationale endured.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
The two systems, however, employ different interception methods.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Zeinab Ahmad, 31, applied for bail in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on two slavery charges.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
Daniels said the sales tax surcharge will be applied to items not including fuel.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
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But among recent high-profile moves, Alibaba reportedly hired Google DeepMind researcher Hao Zhou to support Qwen AI development.—
Evelyn Cheng,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
In February, The New York Times reported DHS hired a social media manager accused of White-nationalist messaging.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Total football remade soccer worldwide by emphasizing movement and pressure on the ball and the interchangeability of positions, laying the groundwork for the modern incarnation of the sport.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens
June 8,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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And Republican lawmakers have refused to vote to fund the construction of a ballroom at the White House that has already laid waste to the East Wing and, if completed, would dwarf the landmark residence.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Likewise, Tri-City has already begun using its powers as a public health care district to recruit additional obstetricians to the area.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
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In August 1953, after sponsoring internal destabilization campaigns, the CIA and MI6 recruited a group of army officers to bring down Mossadegh.—
Andrew Arsan,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Participants spill into streets, courtyards and public squares covered head to toe in pigment, and strangers smear color on one another as a greeting.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
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The dog couldn’t go in her room so soon after her transplant, so Aspen dabbed colors on a small canvas and handed it to Scott, who put it in a plastic bag and smeared peanut butter on top.—
Laura Ungar,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
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Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20on. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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