LAYS Synonyms: 344 Similar and Opposite Words

lays 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of lay

as in puts

to arrange something in a certain spot or position just lay the book over there on the table for now

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Relevance

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as in settles

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

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as in imposes

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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as in prepares

to make ready in advance she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time

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as in applies

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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as in bets

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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as in ascribes

to explain (something) as being the result of something else an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring

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as in buries

to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea lay the corpse to rest

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lays

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of lay

as in melodies

a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect the minstrel strummed a cheerful lay on his lute

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as in ballads

a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment she sang a short lay in dedication to her husband

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lays

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of lay

as in works

the activity by which one regularly makes a living my main lay is as a general contractor, but I do side work as a carpenter

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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 lays

Verb

The teaser cuts to a cemetery and a coffin on which somebody lays a black rose. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2026 Make sure your side gig is something that either fuels your soul or lays the groundwork for your future. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Bob Chapek, fired as Disney CEO in 2022 after less than three years, lays the blame for his ouster squarely on Bob Iger in an upcoming memoir, according to the New York Times, which obtained a copy. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026 Don’t throttle the goose who lays the golden eggs, don’t blast from the skies the albatross who guarantees fair winds. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 An investigation led by University of Arizona researchers has now found evidence of a genetic domino effect that lays the foundations for carcinomas to form, making the loss of the Y chromosome a new hallmark of pending cancer. — Mike McRae 20, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026 Back then, researchers were focused on eradicating the New World screwworm, a nasty pest that lays its eggs in wounds on living creatures. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026 Winston, who’s been in those backrooms with those people before, lays his hope with those who can channel their passions into specific action plans for change. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026 Now concealed, the tarantula hawk lays a single egg on the tarantula’s abdomen. — Sean Donnelly, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026

Noun

Before us, in a curtain of matte black against the vibrant green, a beautiful, enormous silverback lays flopped on his back surrounded by eight gorillas of all ages wrestling around him. — Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026 While the 40-foot steeple of Crown Point’s oldest church lays toppled along Grant Street and East North Street, treasures found inside the 139-year-old church have found their way into new light. — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lays

Verb

Based on Douglass Wallop’s novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, Damn Yankees puts a big league spin on the classic Faustian bargain, following a diehard baseball fan who makes a deal with the Devil to help his beloved team return to glory.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2026
That puts engine exhaust close to the booster while the vehicles separate.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of puts

Verb

The limitations that the language barrier imposes between Haitians and Dominicans have been recognized by public, private and religious institutions alike, which have all sought to remedy it in their own piecemeal ways.

— Kendall Medford, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
Discord requires users to be at least 13 years old and imposes restrictions on accounts in the 13-17 age group.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of imposes

Verb

As Solomon prepares to step down while the bank fires on all cylinders, the question is how Waldron can take it to the next level.

— Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
As the company prepares for the largest listing in history at $2 trillion, its IPO prospectus has been circulated among investors and viewed by Reuters and other news outlets.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of prepares

Verb

These histories can be claimed for any site-specific artwork located in an outdoor setting, though their relevance applies differently from one example to another.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
But again, this only applies if your flight is delayed by more than by more than three hours domestically or six hours internationally.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of applies

Verb

But that’s a problem in Bordeaux, a region that bets big on red wines aged in oak.

— Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
Told ‘no’ at every turn, Sylvester Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Definition of bets

Verb

One automatically ascribes fraud to results that are often predictable, even routine; the other dismisses legitimate concerns as conspiracy theories.

— Andrew E. Busch, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
In line with the science of his time, which said that lunar craters were volcanic, Verne ascribes his flickering light to an eruption.

— Neil Oseman, Space.com, 14 June 2026

Definition of ascribes

Verb

Past a certain point, more preparation buries the message instead of sharpening it.

— Lynn Smith, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
The winter months pass, long nights, a bomb cyclone that buries my basement windows in snow and leaves me to lurk in the dark like a slumbering bear, and then spring arrives abrupt and clanging and golden.

— Brian Laidlaw, Longreads, 1 Sep. 2026