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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Formed in Los Angeles, the gang has grown into a transnational criminal organization with tens of thousands of members spread across the United States, Mexico and Central America.—
Martha McHardy
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025 -
That youthful energy was apparent Tuesday evening, as both cautiously optimistic canvassers and ecstatic supporters lined the streets of central Brooklyn, creating a party-like atmosphere that spread from poll sites into the surrounding neighborhoods.—
ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Hospital heals, and also employs With 750 workers, the hospital is the valley's largest employer.—
John Daley,
NPR,
22 June 2025
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Under federal law, a business can face sanctions for knowingly hiring and employing unauthorized workers.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
Verb
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Instead, apply a clean dressing over the eye and go to the hospital immediately.—
Omer Awan,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Pauline’s ability to inhale the essence of materials like gold and apply it to her voice makes her words more lethal than anything DK can do solo.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Whether they’re hired permanently or temporarily through an agency, these workers will now be covered by California’s workplace safety rules.—
Angela Rodriguez,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
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Portland made headlines last week after deciding to part ways with president Inky Son less than three months after she was hired, underlining the risk of short launch timelines for newcomers.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a once-promising driver who is recruited to help his friend and former driver, Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), who is in danger of being ousted by the board of his racing team.—
Maureen Lee Lenker Published,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
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The researchers recruited 34 adults who’d had chronic, nonspecific LBP for more than three months and randomly divided them into two groups.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 June 2025
Verb
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The assertion by certain anonymous users online is a typically out-of-context and absurd effort to create fake news for clicks and to smear.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
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In extreme cases, some parents will threaten to smear the therapist's name, leave bad reviews, complain to the licensing board, or even threaten the therapist’s physical safety.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
23 June 2025
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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 5 Jul. 2025.
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