waylays

verb

present tense third-person singular of waylay
as in ambushes
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise a lonely stretch of highway along which unsuspecting tourists are often waylaid by gangs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 waylays These are the chapters that feature the merry trickster of the forest, Tom Bombadil, a classic fiddle-dee-dee-mischief type who waylays the hobbits at the onset of their quest. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waylays
  1. ambushes
  2. attacks
Verb
  • All seems lost when a group of Stormtroopers ambushes the crew, but IG-11 heroically sacrifices himself to save them.
    — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
  • Thurman stars as The Bride, left for dead after her former boss and lover Bill ambushes her wedding rehearsal, shooting her in the head and stealing her unborn child.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025
Definition of ambushes
Verb
  • Meanwhile, donning night-vision giggles, Knoxville gleefully attacks them with trash can lids and tasers.
    — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Yellow-legged hornets, an invasive species that attacks honeybee colonies, have been spotted in North Carolina for the first time.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of attacks

Browse Nearby Words

waylaying
waylays
way-out
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Cite this Entry

“Waylays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waylays. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on waylays

Nglish: Translation of waylays for Spanish Speakers

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