as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place
an eating disorder that would impel her to lay up candy bars in her closet for all-night food binges
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lay up
Now, researchers are discovering more in the Rio Grande Valley, where the crayfish are breeding rapidly, with each female capable of laying up to 5,000 eggs annually.
—
Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Production came later, in 2014, when he was laid up in bed for three months with an illness.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 13 June 2025
Both players once again laid up and were each lucky to even par the hole.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 June 2025
Female cicadas can lay up to 600 eggs, inserting them into the branches of trees and shrubs with their ovipositor (egg-laying organ), according to the University of Massachusetts.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay up
Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Production came later, in 2014, when he was laid up in bed for three months with an illness.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 13 June 2025
Both players once again laid up and were each lucky to even par the hole.
—Kendall Capps, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 June 2025
Female cicadas can lay up to 600 eggs, inserting them into the branches of trees and shrubs with their ovipositor (egg-laying organ), according to the University of Massachusetts.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay up
Verb
-
We, in collaboration with our partners, store and/or access information on a user's device, including but not limited to IP addresses, unique identifiers, and browsing data stored in cookies, in order to process personal data.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Or, call on its air pump function, which can be used to remove air from vacuum storage bags, to store off-season clothing in minutes (without having to break out a bulky vacuum).—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While 3-4 won’t get you there, the first steps clearly lay in the coming days.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The intermittent pops of muzzle fire are drowned out as tank treads grind the asphalt down Washington Street toward the East River waterfront, where a 100-year-old carousel lays in ruin.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
More than music In a corner of his studio, Hinds stashes a collection of drums that are all different shapes and sizes.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Oct. 2025
-
In fact, the heist got so much attention that Peruggia decided not to try to sell it and stashed it away in the false bottom of a trunk instead.—
NPR,
NPR,
20 Oct. 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20up. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share