LAYS DOWN Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

lays down

verb

present tense third-person singular of lay down

as in enacts

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

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as in declares

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

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as in specifies

to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment

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as in relinquishes

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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lays down

Verb

The leader who takes bodyful ownership of their life and enacts disciplined practices to sense its rhythms will not only enjoy greater harmony and wellbeing but bring greater coherence to their work and to their world.

— Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
On just one unchanging set, an old-time concert hall designed by Rachel Hauck and made appropriately ominous, a tiny ensemble enacts a whole Greek tragedy of love and sacrifice that goes from the land of the living to the underworld and back.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026

Definition of enacts

Verb

The gist is that Congress specifies the minimum set of nationwide protections, referred to as a federal floor, while the states then enact stricter requirements, doing so up to some maximum known as a state-level ceiling.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
The company uses whatever bricks and mortar a contractor already specifies, meaning regulators see nothing new to approve.

— Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 15 July 2026

Definition of specifies

Verb

Could this be the anarchic mind that emerges when the ego relinquishes its hold?

— Michael Pollan, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
If a player chooses not to negotiate with the Panthers, that player will be unable to sign elsewhere, unless Carolina relinquishes his rights by not offering him a tender.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Jan. 2026

Definition of relinquishes

Verb

But once the residence passes building inspection, the homeowner could enclose the underneath space, creating a ground-level story.

— Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Both passes deflected off a player, the first off WR Terrace Marshall and the second off WR Tutu Atwell.

— Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of passes

Verb

The filing puts his value at some $600 million in assets and business interests at the time of his death, and asserts that Tracey is looking for her rightful share.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Hirsch asserts Turnout has helped more than 10,000 people with Social Security disability claims alone.

— Victor Dey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of asserts

Verb

Inside is cozy and spacious, and a sizable, dog-friendly patio defines the outdoor space.

— Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026
At the same time, Powers Irish Rye features a distinctive rye component, adding a fresh dimension to the Irish whiskey category without sacrificing the accessible character that defines the brand.

— Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of defines

Verb

Born in 1906, Visconti was older than either collaborator, and his high-toned, overripe style, expressed in his masterpieces Senso (1954) and The Leopard (1963), arguably renders him an even more remote figure.

— Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
Capitalism, though, renders this interdependency—life-sustaining, reproductive labor—invisible.

— Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of renders

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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lays by

lays down

lays eyes on

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“Lays down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lays%20down. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of lays down

verb

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