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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 godless
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of lay
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Long before Manhattan's iconic street grid took shape, an English widow laid the groundwork for a settlement in Brooklyn, arranging a small village in what would become the United States into one of the first grid patterns.
—Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Delbarton publicly acknowledged in 2018 that at least 30 men had come forward with allegations that, over three decades, 13 past or current priests and monks at the school had victimized them — in addition to a lay faculty member who is now retired.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Verb
The comedian and actress, 43, laid into FBI Director Kash Patel during the Monday, March 30 broadcast, poking fun at reports that his personal emails were hacked.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Long before Manhattan's iconic street grid took shape, an English widow laid the groundwork for a settlement in Brooklyn, arranging a small village in what would become the United States into one of the first grid patterns.
—Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Both memoirs prepare the lay gambler for a world of gruelling, bruising defeats and unglamorous back-of-the-envelope calculus.
—Dan Piepenbring, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Delbarton publicly acknowledged in 2018 that at least 30 men had come forward with allegations that, over three decades, 13 past or current priests and monks at the school had victimized them — in addition to a lay faculty member who is now retired.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
-
That $4 million APY puts him outside the Top 30 among all offensive tackles in the league.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The second half belonged to the Hornets as Grant Williams' 3 put Charlotte up 94-76 entering the fourth quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The town settled the lawsuit outside of court, agreeing to pay Morgan $45,000 and revise its social media policy, according to a document provided to The Denver Post by Morgan’s attorneys.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Clouds build overnight and temperatures will cool off quickly after sunset, settling in the low to mid-40s.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hill noted that smaller businesses are acutely feeling the effects of tariffs imposed by the federal government on goods and products.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
-
For instance, disputes over the HOA’s authority to impose certain assessments can delay the resolution of financial issues, leaving homeowners uncertain about how to resolve their financial liabilities.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the face of this uncertainty, companies and other organizations are preparing for a world in which the conflict — and subsequent jolt to crude prices — becomes a long-term challenge, affecting everything from travel planning to mail delivery.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
If any paperwork is involved, prepare it beforehand to skip mid-discussion confusion.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Because this month’s layoffs are not confined to tech and spread across airlines, logistics, food production, healthcare, and more, the overall job market may be entering a recalibration period due to cost pressures and the rise of artificial intelligence.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Starting Wednesday, videos and posters will be plastered in subways and public spaces, spreading awareness about the negative components of what can be a disturbing encounter.—
Allen Devlin,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In January, another Polymarket account won big by betting that Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, would soon be out of power.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps unfortunately for Flagg, some ROY voters probably tuned out the Mavericks during this 4-24 late-season skid, but according to the betting platform Kalshi, Knueppel’s percentage lead dipped from 60%-40% to start this week to 52%-46% on Wednesday.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wednesday’s verdict in Los Angeles on the ninth day of jury deliberations shows the difficulty of ascribing how much social media is to blame for youths suffering varying degrees of distress.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Economists generally have calculated that whatever economic growth could be ascribed to the change would be washed out by the revenue loss from inflation-indexing only new purchases, and utterly swamped by the cost of indexing all holdings, past and future.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Blinken said the Democratic administrations considered military action but didn’t pursue it because Iran could retaliate and bury its nuclear program deeper underground.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Also stolen was a bronze plaque honoring the 18 unmarked graves of African Americans who were also buried there.—
Paul Burton,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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