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Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue
Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”
Examples of lieu in a Sentence
I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church.
—
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Recent Examples on the Web
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Sally’s memory to her happy place, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, PO Box 860647, Minneapolis, MN 55486 or online at https://arb.umn.edu/donate/memorials-and-honor-gifts.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Coming off 2021’s highly autobiographical The Hand of God, the writer-director has pivoted to looking outward and attempted to craft a story about the struggle of a young woman forced to navigate a world which only sees her body in lieu of her soul.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2025
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation www.pbmr.org/, and to Haymarket Center, haymarketcenter.org.
—Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
When the annual science fair rolls around, in lieu of a traditional project, Courtney harnesses her penchant for mischief with a social experiment that exploits the competitive nature of the teachers.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for lieu 
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Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Coming off 2021’s highly autobiographical The Hand of God, the writer-director has pivoted to looking outward and attempted to craft a story about the struggle of a young woman forced to navigate a world which only sees her body in lieu of her soul.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2025
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation www.pbmr.org/, and to Haymarket Center, haymarketcenter.org.
—Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
When the annual science fair rolls around, in lieu of a traditional project, Courtney harnesses her penchant for mischief with a social experiment that exploits the competitive nature of the teachers.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for lieu
Dictionary Entries Near lieu
Cite this Entry
“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lieu
noun
archaic
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