1
as in putting
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
just lay the book over there on the table for now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in settling
to cause to come to rest at the bottom (as of a liquid)
the rain was just hard enough to lay the dust in the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in imposing
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
state officials tried to lay a tax on merchandise sold over the Internet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in preparing
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
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5
as in spreading
to put a layer of on a surface
the mason laid mortar over the first row of bricks before starting the second
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in betting
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event
I'll lay five dollars that you can't do it
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7
as in attributing
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
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8
as in burying
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of laying
Carlson immediately began laying the groundwork for a digital-media company, the Tucker Carlson Network, securing Musk’s help to boost Carlson’s content on X and fifteen million dollars in seed money from Malik’s firm and other investors.
—
Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Perhaps not so surprising was that Dr Branston and collaborators’ discovered that a larger human population density reduced fledging success, and that higher ambient temperatures were negatively related to first egg laying date, clutch size and the number of fledglings produced.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Applause rang out in the boardroom after the Sepulveda Transit Corridor project was unanimously approved to move forward by board members, essentially laying the groundwork for an alternative to the 405 Freeway.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The resulting budget fell far short of meeting some of the state’s biggest priorities, including laying the groundwork for responsible and expected increases in the state’s Medicaid budget.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Their presence reveals a link between father and son, laying bare the threads that bind family, legacy, and place.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 Jan. 2026
The company’s evolution, from laying telegraph poles to running large-scale fibre rollouts, conveys the broader history of communications technology.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
Miller is clearly laying the groundwork to invoke the Insurrection Act.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
In a webinar last week Kendall Becker, the trend intelligence firm’s fashion and beauty director, shared how these factors are laying the groundwork for five macro trends that will influence men’s and women’s fashion and beauty.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Jan. 2026
Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026
Perhaps not so surprising was that Dr Branston and collaborators’ discovered that a larger human population density reduced fledging success, and that higher ambient temperatures were negatively related to first egg laying date, clutch size and the number of fledglings produced.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Applause rang out in the boardroom after the Sepulveda Transit Corridor project was unanimously approved to move forward by board members, essentially laying the groundwork for an alternative to the 405 Freeway.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
The resulting budget fell far short of meeting some of the state’s biggest priorities, including laying the groundwork for responsible and expected increases in the state’s Medicaid budget.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
Their presence reveals a link between father and son, laying bare the threads that bind family, legacy, and place.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 21 Jan. 2026
The company’s evolution, from laying telegraph poles to running large-scale fibre rollouts, conveys the broader history of communications technology.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
Miller is clearly laying the groundwork to invoke the Insurrection Act.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
In a webinar last week Kendall Becker, the trend intelligence firm’s fashion and beauty director, shared how these factors are laying the groundwork for five macro trends that will influence men’s and women’s fashion and beauty.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying
Verb
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Volunteers would gather at Hunger Busters every school day, putting together sandwiches and sides for thousands of students who were experiencing food insecurity at home.—
Andrea Lucia,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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The therapist is now putting themselves into a posture of the client having to gauge which is more believable, the therapist or the AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Shakers, a sect of Christianity named for their ecstatic worship dancing, were nonviolent and refused to fight in the Revolutionary War upon settling in Upstate New York.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Metro Atlanta is settling in for a long winter weekend.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Iranian authorities have responded by deploying numerous security forces, imposing internet blackouts and enforcing curfews in some areas in an effort to suppress the unrest.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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Originally constructed to be a shopping mall, the imposing structure now serves as the headquarters of Venezuela’s intelligence services and a notorious prison.—
Uriel Blanco,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Packers are preparing for a wild-card game Saturday night in Chicago.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Listen to Glaser discuss preparing to host the 2026 Golden Globes on Ripa's podcast episode above.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Then consider that Maye has been spreading the ball out to a deep receiving corps.—
Hank Gola,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Iran claims to have restored order following the nationwide demonstrations that began spreading late last year over the country's collapsing currency and spiraling prices.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To the critics, LaFleur is 2-3 in the playoffs as a betting favorite, tied for the worst win rate among 19 coaches with at least five such games this century.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
This time, a more emboldened administration appears to be betting that both fear and a show of force will be enough to quell a movement that has become fragmented and disillusioned through the years.—
Paola Ramos,
Time,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The vessel had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region, Reuters reported, attributing the statement to an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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CloudFlare, an internet firm, and the advocacy group NetBlocks reported the internet outage, both attributing it to Iranian government interference.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, as the friends were returning from Castle Peak, an avalanche was triggered on the backside of the mountain, burying Thomason.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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The sophomore erupted for 14 points in the frame, burying a pair of threes as Malden Catholic pulled away for good.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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