1
as in to enact
to put into effect through legislative or authoritative action
the city council promises to lay down new ordinances that will force dog walkers to clean up after their animals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to declare
to state clearly and strongly
at the risk of their popularity, the parents laid down the rules for the party and wouldn't accept any arguments
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to specify
to give the rules about (something) clearly and exactly
the supervisor laid down the procedure for a complaint of sexual harassment
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4
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
commanded the surrounded troops to lay down their weapons
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay down
The whiskey was laid down in 1978, which Thomas described as a bad time for the Irish whiskey industry given that there were just two distilleries operating at the time—Bushmills and Midleton.
—
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2025
Abdallah Ocalan, the head of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as the PKK—a Kurdish militant group affiliated with the YPG that has long fought the Turkish state—called for fighters loyal to him to lay down their weapons and stop waging war against Turkey.
—Robert S. Ford, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2025
President Donald Trump laid down the hammer on Mexico and Canada Tuesday, hitting the United States’ North American neighbors with 25-percent duties on a range of products and services after a month-long deferral failed to lead to a resolution.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Mar. 2025
Over at the Girlfriends Check-In, the ladies start arriving, and Quad lays down the ground rules: cocktails are a must, and no one can bring up the past.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2025
Abdallah Ocalan, the head of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as the PKK—a Kurdish militant group affiliated with the YPG that has long fought the Turkish state—called for fighters loyal to him to lay down their weapons and stop waging war against Turkey.
—Robert S. Ford, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2025
President Donald Trump laid down the hammer on Mexico and Canada Tuesday, hitting the United States’ North American neighbors with 25-percent duties on a range of products and services after a month-long deferral failed to lead to a resolution.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 4 Mar. 2025
Over at the Girlfriends Check-In, the ladies start arriving, and Quad lays down the ground rules: cocktails are a must, and no one can bring up the past.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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In Monthly Payments As Repayment System Buckles House Republicans passed a budget plan last month that seeks to extend tax cuts enacted in 2018 and reduce healthcare spending by $880 billion, with Medicaid a probable candidate for cutbacks.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
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On Wednesday, President Donald Trump enacted a new round of tariffs on the raw metals.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When Lawrence declares the Cowboys as a team that isn’t going to win a Super Bowl in the next few years — Lawrence signed a three-year deal in Seattle — the core of the team is understandably going to take offense to that.—
Saad Yousuf,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
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The department relieved Proctor of duty on July 1, the very same day a mistrial was declared in the Read case.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Unless otherwise specified by the instructions on your liquid masking product, let the paint dry before attempting to remove the liquid masking tape.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Mar. 2025
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Officials declined to specify why the immigrants were transferred, and the government has not said whether Guantanamo might be used again in the future.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Britain’s slimmer new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also relinquished the U.K.’s past leadership in research and expertise, largely due to pay reductions and restrictions on hiring non-British nationals.—
Sarah Stroup,
The Conversation,
19 Mar. 2025
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She was relinquished by her first adoptive family due to her behavioral issues.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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As exclusively revealed by The Athletic last week, his deal expires at the end of the season and the club option for a one-year extension has already passed.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
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At that time, the celestial body will be passing the Earth’s darker inner shadow, or umbra.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Alien and Sedition Acts elicited a firestorm of criticism soon after they were passed, including from Jefferson and James Madison, who asserted that states have the right and duty to declare some federal laws unconstitutional.—
Daniel Tichenor,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2025
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In August, during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, Trump falsely asserted that Harris had not identified before as both Black and Indian.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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And Christian Nationalism – the belief that the United States is defined by Christianity – has grown.—
Fred L. Pincus,
The Conversation,
21 Mar. 2025
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Sample said constitutional scholars have differed on what exactly defines a constitutional crisis.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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There is no reason to say that the current challenges render AI’s implementation impossible.—
William Tarr,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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That renders every emotional moment (what made the original Lion King so terrific) utterly lifeless.—
Barry Levitt,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Lay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20down. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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