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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In New York City, four people, including a child, died Monday afternoon after a fire in a three-story apartment building spread during heavy winds.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026 -
Officers are unsure what caused the semi to overturn, but said that the thick liquid began to flow out of the trailer and quickly spread, creating an inch-thick layer of syrup across the westbound lanes.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The expansion also supports job growth, with the company now employing over 2,200 people across the state.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
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The fact that the county’s own leadership stepped in to keep her employed should tell voters something about where confidence lies.—
Jodi Balma,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That includes a new California bill, which attempts revive the mask restrictions by also applying them to state law enforcement officers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
20 Mar. 2026
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Whether the president’s January 2025 executive order applies to children born under these circumstances will likely hinge on the definition of one word in its text.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The city is hiring a consultant to evaluate the impact of removing the bike lanes and proposing potential replacements.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
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But New York is passing Silicon Valley for hiring volume, with the metro coming in second overall.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Girl Scout Ava Duff gave a speech and led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by other speakers and a wreath-laying ceremony at the first lady’s grave site in Yorba Linda.—
Jeff Gritchen,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
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First, laying eggs, and now, a run-in with some wild animals was caught on camera.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Brandon Sigaran Cruz was only 9 when his parents brought him and his brother to the United States, far away from the gangs recruiting young boys in the elementary schools of El Salvador.—
Samantha Schmidt,
Washington Post,
15 Mar. 2026
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What the New Study Found A research team led by Daniel Bok of the University of Zagreb, in Croatia, recruited 17 runners to do a series of three workouts.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The pigment lasts all day without smearing.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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There was plenty of cheek-kissing, and probably a little air-kissing too — nobody wants to smear lipstick in that crowd.—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 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 20 Mar. 2026.
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