Did you know?
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
Another would give employers and workers the option of comp time in lieu of overtime pay.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
In lieu of of typical straight-leg leather pants, Sweeney opted for the controversial barrel silhouette that’s been dominating Glamour editors’ denim collections for the past few months.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 15 Dec. 2024
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made in her memory to the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University and Mariners Church at the Orange County Rescue Mission.
—Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 12 Dec. 2024
That energy source, the researchers argue in a study published today in Science, could then be used in lieu of batteries to power next generation wearable tech.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lieu 
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.
Andrea Hsu, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
In lieu of of typical straight-leg leather pants, Sweeney opted for the controversial barrel silhouette that’s been dominating Glamour editors’ denim collections for the past few months.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 15 Dec. 2024
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made in her memory to the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University and Mariners Church at the Orange County Rescue Mission.
—Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 12 Dec. 2024
That energy source, the researchers argue in a study published today in Science, could then be used in lieu of batteries to power next generation wearable tech.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 12 Dec. 2024
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 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lieu
noun
archaic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share