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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of laying
Its parent company OpenAI is reportedly laying the groundwork for an IPO that could value it at up to $1 trillion.
—
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
To make bunny ears at home (for those who don't have a pair laying around), TikTok user Alexa Navarrete used pipe cleaners.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Also, unlike laying fiber optic cable, AI infrastructure depreciates rapidly.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The invasive beetles from Asia would burrow through bark, the females laying eggs in crevices.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Hanging it to dry can prevent wrinkles, but laying it flat prevents the delicate fibers from stretching.
—Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that reading together with young children significantly strengthens relationships with caregivers and promotes early brain development, laying the groundwork for school readiness and long-term benefits throughout life.
—Chris Schulz, NPR, 28 Oct. 2025
Like its previous installments, Dark Winds season 3 ends with various shocking deaths, laying plenty of groundwork for what's next.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
King Charles attended the monument’s dedication ceremony on Monday, where he was photographed laying a bouquet of flowers.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 27 Oct. 2025
Matt Egan, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
To make bunny ears at home (for those who don't have a pair laying around), TikTok user Alexa Navarrete used pipe cleaners.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Also, unlike laying fiber optic cable, AI infrastructure depreciates rapidly.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The invasive beetles from Asia would burrow through bark, the females laying eggs in crevices.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Hanging it to dry can prevent wrinkles, but laying it flat prevents the delicate fibers from stretching.
—Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that reading together with young children significantly strengthens relationships with caregivers and promotes early brain development, laying the groundwork for school readiness and long-term benefits throughout life.
—Chris Schulz, NPR, 28 Oct. 2025
Like its previous installments, Dark Winds season 3 ends with various shocking deaths, laying plenty of groundwork for what's next.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2025
King Charles attended the monument’s dedication ceremony on Monday, where he was photographed laying a bouquet of flowers.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying
Verb
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Turn on music or a podcast and fill a few spare minutes wiping down surfaces, dusting, or putting things away.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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With the symptoms of climate crisis increasingly felt by people and businesses, including those within the art world, the Fondation Beyeler is making a statement by putting ecological stewardship on par with artistic curation.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, the auto club warned that with autumn settling in, drivers should be extra alert for traffic hazards that include shorter days with diminished daylight, slick roads with rain, morning fog that limits visibility and deer, which may run across roadways.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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In 1970, Godchaux left the South and traveled out west, settling in San Francisco.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Last month, Duffy warned European governments against imposing unilateral restrictions on transatlantic travel, saying Washington is prepared to enforce international agreements — a stance underscored by recent action taken against Mexico over similar concerns.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
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In a move that met with widespread criticism, last year Spotify reduced its royalty payments to musicians and songwriters by hundreds of millions of dollars per year by automatically imposing a bundling plan with its audiobooks division that few music fans would seem likely to want.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Anticipating and preparing for war leads quite naturally to accepting its inevitability.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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That’s one investment that has proved rather unfruitful so far, although things appear to be looking up for WBD investors currently with company on the auction block and simultaneously preparing to separate its cable operations and studios/streaming into to companies.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And in 2008, the site allowed users to create their own feeds—called subreddits—creating popular threads on topics like politics and science, but also spreading controversial content.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
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Animation is spreading to ever corner of Latin America.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services.—
Jacob Camenker,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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Since 1985, the Seminoles have lost only five times when favored by more than 17 points, according to OddsShark’s betting database and newspaper archives.—
Matt Baker,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But attributing everything to the turnovers overlooks the fact that Michigan has thrown for fewer than 150 yards in back-to-back games against two of the worst teams in the Big Ten.—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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The book is a product of an era when attributing credit to servants of any kind would not have been expected, but times have changed.—
Adrian Miller,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Enclose your hostas with a 1-foot-high circle of mesh, also burying it 6 inches below ground.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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His lover died in shock and horror that Regis was capable of such violence, and a vampire hunter did the rest of the work by staking, decapitating, and burying him next to Bethané’s corpse.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Laying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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