LAYING ON Synonyms: 64 Similar and Opposite Words

laying on

verb

present participle of lay on

as in applying

to put a layer of on a surface she lays the butter on so thickly that you hardly taste the bagel

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in employing

chiefly British to provide with a paying job lay on more staff for the busy tourist season in the Lake District

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying on

Verb

Researchers in China found that repeatedly applying gentle pressure to the shinbones of elderly mice improved their strength, coordination, and performance on memory tests.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Of course, running this kind of remote frame generation on a linear video is very different from applying it to a real-time interactive game.

— Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of applying

Verb

According to investigators cited by NBC News, the criminals have shown planning and sophistication by employing techniques like GPS location spoofing and even arranging collisions with police escort vehicles.

— Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Many companies are already in the planning phase of employing agentic AI, according to McKinsey’s report, with 40% of companies surveyed already scaling agents, up from 27% in 2025.

— Scott Francis, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of employing

Verb

Grey Owl Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl’) is a low-growing and low-spreading shrub that reaches 3 to 4 feet high and 6 to 8 feet wide with silver-grey foliage and blue berries.

— Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Melanoma that has not penetrated into the deeper layer of the skin carries very little risk of spreading, in comparison.

— Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of spreading

Verb

Apparently without permission of his boss -- UA-Fayetteville Chancellor Charles Robinson or the board of trustees -- Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek approved the Razorback Foundation hiring a public relations firm.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
Another possibility is that there could be some behind-the-scenes factors that the hiring manager can't share with an external candidate, like a budget cut, hiring freeze or leadership turnover, Gavin says.

— Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of hiring

Verb

Giuliani was also slapped with a $148-million libel verdict for smearing two election workers in Georgia.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
For months now, so much vitriol crept into our TVs, interrupting the Bears or your favorite college football team with a special message from a super PAC or a partisan looking to score points by smearing their opponents.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of smearing

Verb

That represents a maximum of $50,000 as an incentive for small businesses to provide health insurance, which would help in recruiting new employees.

— Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 5 Nov. 2026
Lee came into the race seeking a full term as Oakland mayor and highlighting her administration's work on reducing crime and recruiting more police officers.

— Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of recruiting

Verb

Earlier that morning, surveillance footage shows someone taking the case out of a car’s open trunk and laying it along the curb, then picking it up and turning it perpendicular to the curb.

— Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2026
Leading up to Tuesday evening, Democrats from across the ideological spectrum were preemptively laying claim to their roles in helping flip the House and their visions for what a Democratic majority might be capable of doing.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of laying

Verb

The booster also supported six Starlink flights before taking on USSF-432.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
In the case of Yemen, the ground fighters inside the country who are taking on the Houthis are deeply divided and fought each other as recently as January.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of taking on

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.

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“Laying on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying%20on. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of laying on

verb

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