1
as in enacting
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declaring
to state clearly and strongly
at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in specifying
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in relinquishing
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying down
Verb
-
The state passed an emergency rule late Tuesday enacting the cuts, though court challenges are still pending.—
Jonathan Appelbaum,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026 -
DeSantis prohibited districts from enacting a mandate in schools and allowed parents to choose whether to send their children in masks.—
Times staff,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But mangrove protection advocates are not declaring victory, and the property owner is not conceding defeat.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
-
QatarEnergy, the Gulf nation's state-run petroleum firm that handles all of its oil and gas business, said Wednesday that was declaring Force Majeure, a measure that relieves a company of its contractual obligations when it is impacted by circumstances beyond its control.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In another cost-cutting move, Papa John's also reduced its corporate workforce by 7%, Thanawala said Thursday, without specifying when the layoffs occurred or if further cuts were planned.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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The festival said the Official Selection of the 79th edition will be unveiled mid-April without specifying a date.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Payton relinquishing the duties deserves praise.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Riley was the head coach and team president for the Heat’s first NBA championship in 2006 before relinquishing those duties to Erik Spoelstra in 2008.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Of course, there are also regions that have hot, ionized material in the way, such as around active galaxies or in passing through galaxy clusters that have hot, X-ray emitting intracluster mediums.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Mar. 2026
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The Slovenian center, who is retiring this spring after 20 seasons in Los Angeles, is just five points away from passing Marcel Dionne to become the Kings’ career scoring leader.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Our regions have long paid a heavy price, under both the shah and the clerical regime, for simply asserting our identity.—
Jalil Pakray,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
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The dual efforts in the House and Senate face uphill battles to become law, as previous efforts have failed in asserting congressional authority to declare war.—
Luke Garrett,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the potentially season-defining stretch can’t be at the forefront of their minds now.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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If you’re hooked on Ryan Murphy’s Love Story, a slate of classic and recent series deliver the same 1990s glamour, New York energy and era-defining style.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When exposed to moisture, including indoor humidity, powder detergent clumps and harden, rendering it unusable.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
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This condensation can freeze and block the flow of fuel, rendering your car incapable of starting.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Laying down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20down. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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