1
as in puts
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
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in prepares
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
7
as in ascribes
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 buries
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of lays
Judy Berman, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
After giving the calf an allotted head start, a competitor rides to the calf, ropes it and dismounts, lays the calf down and ties three legs together.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
After her mother dies, Gustav reappears and lays claim to the house, which his family has long owned.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
The system also lays the groundwork for broader adoption of decentralized infrastructure.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Pichichi and everyone lays flowers there.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
These differing border definitions mean Croatia lays claim to land on the eastern bank of the Danube — territory Serbia considers its own.
—Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Pantry moths are simply the name of a type of moth that lays its eggs on common household food products such as grains, beans, flour, nuts, and even pet food.
—Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025
The top lays flat, giving the bob a buss down appearance.
—Donnetta Monk, Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Native American artist Chutto (Mato Wayuhi) throws a rock through the window and, when Lee chases him down, lays into Lee for getting his grandfather, Arthur (the late Graham Greene), killed.
—Judy Berman, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
After giving the calf an allotted head start, a competitor rides to the calf, ropes it and dismounts, lays the calf down and ties three legs together.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
After her mother dies, Gustav reappears and lays claim to the house, which his family has long owned.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
The system also lays the groundwork for broader adoption of decentralized infrastructure.
—Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Pichichi and everyone lays flowers there.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
These differing border definitions mean Croatia lays claim to land on the eastern bank of the Danube — territory Serbia considers its own.
—Richard Collett, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Pantry moths are simply the name of a type of moth that lays its eggs on common household food products such as grains, beans, flour, nuts, and even pet food.
—Lauren Wicks, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025
The top lays flat, giving the bob a buss down appearance.
—Donnetta Monk, Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lays
Verb
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This kind of price tag puts Tucker in reach of teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
One alternate ending in particular puts the phenomenon in a different light.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Boise and Treasure Valley residents have a chance to enjoy a beautiful fall Friday before a cold front bringing rainy weather and gusty winds settles into Southwest Idaho starting Saturday morning.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
24 Oct. 2025
-
But slowly, the truth settles in.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Additionally, the contract now imposes limits on how many times producers can schedule performers to work 13 or more consecutive performances without a day off.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Oct. 2025
-
State law prohibits coal from contaminating the state’s waters and imposes a $25,000 civil fine for each penalty.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As the federal government prepares to freeze Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments amid the shutdown, major companies, including Instacart and DoorDash, are stepping in to help ease the strain on low-income families.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The results come as Merck slashes $3 billion in costs by the end of 2027, and prepares to offset revenue losses from the upcoming patent expiration of Keytruda in 2028.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Legal observers are also watching whether the Court’s conservative majority—which invoked the major questions doctrine to strike down Biden-era initiatives on student loans, pandemic mandates, and climate rules—applies the same standard to a Republican president.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The same applies to Stanley Black & Decker — a big Wednesday gainer.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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If a new account opens and immediately bets on a single player micro-market, that’s suspicious.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Similarly, if an existing account that typically bets $50 on certain games suddenly places a $1,000 bet, that outlier behavior could trigger an investigation.—
Dian Zhang,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This breakup analysis ascribes no value to the companies being under the same corporate parent.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
There is no dignity, and no justice, in a system that buries an elderly woman alive in silence.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
-
This buries the block into the sand.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lays. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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