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
After realizing the market didn’t offer anything that met the demand for even basic machine learning workloads to operate their products, the team began laying the groundwork for its first TPU.
—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
27 June 2026
Seth took control by catching a leaping Breakker and laying him out with a powerbomb.
—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation opened its bingo hall on sovereign land on July 5, 1986, laying the foundation for Foxwoods Resort Casino.
—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
26 June 2026
The challenge for investors is deciding whether those expenditures are laying the foundation for tomorrow’s success—or simply consuming cash.
—
Colin Dodds,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 June 2026
In other words, the metaphorical coin must be weighted—in this case, by hominins doing things on purpose, like laying their dead to rest in the narrow, twisting darkness of Rising Star.
—
ArsTechnica,
25 June 2026
For care, the brand recommends washing the set on a gentle cycle with cold water, then hanging it or laying it flat to air-dry.
—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Bert bought multiple varieties of sand and grass seed from around the world to test before laying.
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
In 1908 a significant court ruling determined that only those born to Parsi fathers are recognized by the state as Parsi, laying the groundwork for more than a century of exclusion.
—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
27 June 2026
Seth took control by catching a leaping Breakker and laying him out with a powerbomb.
—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation opened its bingo hall on sovereign land on July 5, 1986, laying the foundation for Foxwoods Resort Casino.
—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
26 June 2026
The challenge for investors is deciding whether those expenditures are laying the foundation for tomorrow’s success—or simply consuming cash.
—
Colin Dodds,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 June 2026
In other words, the metaphorical coin must be weighted—in this case, by hominins doing things on purpose, like laying their dead to rest in the narrow, twisting darkness of Rising Star.
—
ArsTechnica,
25 June 2026
For care, the brand recommends washing the set on a gentle cycle with cold water, then hanging it or laying it flat to air-dry.
—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
Bert bought multiple varieties of sand and grass seed from around the world to test before laying.
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
In 1908 a significant court ruling determined that only those born to Parsi fathers are recognized by the state as Parsi, laying the groundwork for more than a century of exclusion.
—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying
Verb
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Less than five minutes after going up 1-0, Bosnia-Herzegovina now leads 2-0, putting it in great place to advance to the knockout stage.
-
Data center demand grows Artificial intelligence and cloud computing have intensified the search for reliable, around-the-clock power sources, putting advanced nuclear technologies in the spotlight.
Verb
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Residents gathered Friday in Piute County as the Cottonwood Fire pushed closer, with flames visible in the distance and smoke settling across the valley, to hear updates and discuss emergency response plans, CNN affiliate KSTU reported.
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Breezy and dry conditions will continue across this portion of the West this weekend; however, cooler temperatures will be settling in.
Verb
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Incumbents have run on the perception that the transplants who have moved into working-class neighborhoods are pushing residents out while imposing their politics on more moderate communities of color.
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The building should be the most beautiful and imposing structure in the entire state.
Verb
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On the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum, Britain is preparing for its seventh prime minister in a decade.
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Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones or any other hybrid attacks, in an effort to pressure NATO countries to stop supporting Ukraine.
Verb
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The strain already appears to be spreading to other hormone replacement therapies, with ASHP recently listing several estradiol creams and progesterone pills, which are given alongside estrogen, as being in shortage.
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The result is a cloud consumption model that becomes difficult to forecast once AI adoption starts spreading across teams.
Verb
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Businesses are betting on the World Cup, night markets and cultural events to revive Olvera Street.
-
Just 11 days into the tournament, and with a month still remaining, this upstart sector of the betting industry, which allows users to bet on sports and a wide variety of other real-world events, has already notched billions of dollars in wagers.
Verb
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Ye has previously faced backlash for controversial statements and actions, later attributing them to mental health issues.
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In January, West issued a public apology for his antisemitic comments in a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, attributing his behavior to struggles with bipolar disorder.
Verb
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The structure suddenly collapsed, burying the people within.
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Since then, the city has touted its success in burying most of its wires while keeping rates competitive with other utilities.
Cite this Entry
“Laying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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