1
as in to put
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
just lay the book over there on the table for now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
state officials tried to lay a tax on merchandise sold over the Internet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to prepare
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
the mason laid mortar over the first row of bricks before starting the second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
7
as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
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8
as in to bury
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in ballad
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
she sang a short lay in dedication to her husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in work
the activity by which one regularly makes a living
my main lay is as a general contractor, but I do side work as a carpenter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in laic
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of lay
Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2024
These courts, which sat every week under trees and in village courtyards across Rwanda, heard more than one million cases and were overseen by lay judges who could hand down sentences as severe as life imprisonment (although most consisted merely of community service).
—Phil Clark, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Dylan Matthews, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Tenzin, a lay Buddhist practitioner, insisted that Dokha’s land was fertile, producing oranges and other fruit.
—Muyi Xiao, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay 
Noun
Sources: Politico, Reuters Group therapy led by lay counselors is helping to combat depression
In Zambia, only about 25 psychologists and psychiatrists serve a population of 20 million.
—Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2024
These courts, which sat every week under trees and in village courtyards across Rwanda, heard more than one million cases and were overseen by lay judges who could hand down sentences as severe as life imprisonment (although most consisted merely of community service).
—Phil Clark, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2017
Adjective
The general public wins in that all three have, unusually for academic economists, written extensively for lay audiences; Acemoglu and Robinson’s 2012 book Why Nations Fail was a bestseller, and Johnson has had several prominent books on financial regulation and innovation.
—Dylan Matthews, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Tenzin, a lay Buddhist practitioner, insisted that Dokha’s land was fertile, producing oranges and other fruit.
—Muyi Xiao, New York Times, 10 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
-
In the final, Johns & Waters put an end to the Alshon & Black freight train, but not without some solid pickleball.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2025
-
How much torment are the pit crews willing to put their amateur survivalists through to win a grand prize of $250,000?—
Mark Peikert,
IndieWire,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Applying early — before her full retirement age of 67 — means settling for a smaller check.—
Liz Weston,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2025
-
Iowa State didn’t have the same problem as the Cyclones began to settle in.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
As an example, federal law requires that employers make accommodations for employees and job applicants with disabilities, unless those accommodations would impose an undue hardship.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
9 Feb. 2025
-
At the moment, King tries to reassure tariff-wary buyers that putting a deposit on appliances locks in their prices — prices which may rise significantly after tariffs are imposed.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Allowing the hair to air dry helped maintain its integrity and prepared it for the coloring phase.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
10 Feb. 2025
-
That stems from his own positive experiences with trying something new and connecting with those that prepared it.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, contends that the new policy is spreading fear of raids, thus lowering attendance at worship services and other valuable church programs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Another winter storm is slated to bring heavy snow and ice to the Central Plains later Tuesday, and spread into the Midwest and Great Lakes Wednesday.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Like many other tech companies, AWS, which is Amazon’s most profitable unit, is betting big on AI.—
Ayesha Javed,
TIME,
16 Feb. 2025
-
The company is betting on a pipeline built around its messenger RNA platform, which is the technology used in both of those products.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The show’s casting made sure to not ascribe to just one type of beauty.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
6 Feb. 2025
-
Can the conclusion that one claim is more valid than the other be ascribed to Western bias?—
Ralph Leonard,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Even stripped of defenses, facilities buried deep underground will be hard to destroy.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Archaeologists just found it In Denmark, archaeologists unearthed a 1,500-year-old collection of weapons and Roman equipment buried by an ancient chief.—
Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Thesaurus Entries Near lay
Cite this Entry
“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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