as in ambushed
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
a lonely stretch of highway along which unsuspecting tourists are often waylaid by gangs
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Recent Examples of waylaid
Tom, who’s aggressive and attempting to rekindle fan interest by being honest and direct, is aiming for the Twins to play competitive baseball games in September, a lofty goal that could be waylaid by a makeshift bullpen.
—
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
The decision came back to haunt the Braves, who were waylaid by injuries and underperformance and ultimately saw their streak of postseason berths end at seven.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition, the multiple injuries have waylaid his development.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
They were supposed to come together at the Palm Springs Film Festival earlier this month, but DiCaprio got famously waylaid while traveling back from his Jeff Bezos yacht vacation.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026
Damon takes center stage as Odysseus, the brave and cunning king of Ithaca who gets waylaid for 10 years trying to return home to his loyal wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and dutiful son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), after playing a key role in the Trojan War.
—Oliver Gettell, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Dec. 2025
Google had hoped to void those changes with an appeal, but the ruling issued in July by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a legal blow for the tech giant, which has been waylaid in three separate antitrust trials affecting different pillars of its internet empire.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Ensure a simple-enough menu stays manageable with a to-do list so you’re not waylaid by days-long side quests.
—Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
In Pecos, a shelter employee named Luis gave me a tour while Wright was waylaid by a man in a black pickup truck who wanted to surrender four pit bulls.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
Dan Hayes, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
The decision came back to haunt the Braves, who were waylaid by injuries and underperformance and ultimately saw their streak of postseason berths end at seven.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
In addition, the multiple injuries have waylaid his development.
—Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
They were supposed to come together at the Palm Springs Film Festival earlier this month, but DiCaprio got famously waylaid while traveling back from his Jeff Bezos yacht vacation.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026
Damon takes center stage as Odysseus, the brave and cunning king of Ithaca who gets waylaid for 10 years trying to return home to his loyal wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and dutiful son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), after playing a key role in the Trojan War.
—Oliver Gettell, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Dec. 2025
Google had hoped to void those changes with an appeal, but the ruling issued in July by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a legal blow for the tech giant, which has been waylaid in three separate antitrust trials affecting different pillars of its internet empire.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Ensure a simple-enough menu stays manageable with a to-do list so you’re not waylaid by days-long side quests.
—Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
In Pecos, a shelter employee named Luis gave me a tour while Wright was waylaid by a man in a black pickup truck who wanted to surrender four pit bulls.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waylaid
Verb
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In August, the Kansas City Royals ambushed him for eight runs.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Authorities said surveillance video in the area shows Dickinson and Thompson walking together just moments before Thompson was ambushed in the middle of the street.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The ministry said settlers vandalized or attacked 45 mosques in the West Bank last year.—
AREF TUFAHA,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
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The violence captured on cellphone videos and shared around the globe – buses burning, gas stations attacked, military helicopters flying overhead – wasn’t just happening in remote rural towns long plagued by drug violence.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waylaid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waylaid. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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