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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in preparing
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in attributing
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 laying
Since being deployed to the nation’s capital in August, many guardsmen have been assigned to help with beautification projects like picking up trash and laying mulch, according to CNN.
—
Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
With the country music landscape now punctuated by a generation of young songwriters laying bare personal trauma and intense heartache, Whitcomb wanted his first full-length to capture his life so far, darkness be damned.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Their pioneering experiments in the 1980s confirmed quantum tunneling and energy quantization in superconducting circuits, laying the foundation for modern quantum technologies.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
And perhaps laying groundwork for a bigger push into robotics (which loves an Arduino kit) and physical AI, which according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is the next wave of AI after agentic.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
The Bloomberg report said the company is also laying the groundwork to increase manufacturing pace again in April and again in 2026, with the goal of making 53 a month by the end of next year.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2025
In the opening scene, Swift is seen laying inside a painting with long blond hair and side bangs.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
Adair is then seen pushing his arms toward a deputy, and laying his head on the bed, the KBI said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2025
The couple, who got engaged in October 2024, are laying the foundation for a strong future together.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 3 Oct. 2025
Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
With the country music landscape now punctuated by a generation of young songwriters laying bare personal trauma and intense heartache, Whitcomb wanted his first full-length to capture his life so far, darkness be damned.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025
Their pioneering experiments in the 1980s confirmed quantum tunneling and energy quantization in superconducting circuits, laying the foundation for modern quantum technologies.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
And perhaps laying groundwork for a bigger push into robotics (which loves an Arduino kit) and physical AI, which according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is the next wave of AI after agentic.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2025
The Bloomberg report said the company is also laying the groundwork to increase manufacturing pace again in April and again in 2026, with the goal of making 53 a month by the end of next year.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2025
In the opening scene, Swift is seen laying inside a painting with long blond hair and side bangs.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
Adair is then seen pushing his arms toward a deputy, and laying his head on the bed, the KBI said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2025
The couple, who got engaged in October 2024, are laying the foundation for a strong future together.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying
Verb
-
One need only read the US State Department’s 2024 human rights report on China to realize that naming a Chinese official to a human rights advisory committee is analogous to putting a wolf in charge of a hen house.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Trump first responded by putting restrictions on sales of American technologies to China, including a key Nvidia AI chip.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In Cheese Curd's case, further videos show the former stray settling on his rescuer's lap, eating treats, and cuddling up with new toys and pillows bought especially for him.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Lanvin Group remains in the midst of a significant transition with Peter Copping putting his mark on Lanvin and Paul Andrew settling in at Sergio Rossi.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His team wasn’t due to depart London until the day after the game, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie coach thought that imposing a Sunday night curfew — a decree from the team’s front office — was a dubious idea.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
At the hearing, Daniela Abratt Cohen, the attorney for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, pointed to the Parkland school shooter’s death penalty trial as precedent against sealing off the courtroom and imposing a gag order.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But there have been signs that Kim has spent months preparing for a major parade in the capital Pyongyang, potentially at night and involving tens of thousands of people, according to the South Korean military.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Oct. 2025
-
From vegetables and berries to whole grains and lean proteins, the freezer aisle is full of healthy foods that can make preparing quick, balanced meals a breeze.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As portfolio manager on the iShares Global Government Bond USD Hedged Active ETF (GGOV), Becker is making the case for spreading allocations out to governments around the globe.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Even Swift’s mom, Andrea, got her close-up, bracelet stack and all, while spreading the friendship at Hard Rock Stadium.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Last year, a study by the National Council on Problem Gambling found that betting on campus had surged to 75 percent — and that six percent of students were addicted to gambling, or nearly double the national average.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Everything else — from betting lines to broadcast information — is here, too.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Those investments have already begun to pay off, as Walmart reported a 26 percent growth in e-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2025, attributing the gains in part to faster delivery speeds.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Oct. 2025
-
But with officials attributing nearly 90% of waterway pollution to encampments, the city also had to reduce the impacts from the unhoused population as part of its permit, which proved a costly endeavor last year.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Only instead of ignoring or burying this awful truth, Kai travels the world, speaking at synagogues and in Jewish community centers about his family’s dark past — and at high schools and colleges to ensure that the atrocities of Nazi Germany are never forgotten or sanitized.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Transformation in all its transgressive aspect had been part of my original obsession with pigment, that step by strange step—adding, grinding, titrating, burning, sometimes burying for more than a year—something becomes another thing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Laying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share