1
as in to discard
to get rid of as useless or unwanted
a politician who had laid by his principles years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place
ever since the last hurricane caught them unprepared, they have laid by emergency supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay by
Verb
-
That doesn’t mean the topic was discarded; it was just nudged to the side, with league and school officials consumed with finalizing the House settlement and determining future College Football Playoff models.—
Scott Dochterman,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025 -
Officials suspect the ants were among the dirt used for ballast, which was discarded in port by ships from South America.—
Alan Clemons,
Outdoor Life,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Let your schedule and meal plan be your guide to select the best way to store radishes.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Feb. 2025
-
At one point, 36 pounds of gold, purchased as an investment, was being stored on the grounds of Skyview Memorial.—
Richard Halstead,
The Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Rather than simply dredging the sea floor and dumping the soil back into the ocean elsewhere, all materials are reused for land reclamation or infrastructure projects.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
1 Mar. 2025
-
But Williams dumped the ball off to Brandon Clarke under the rim, and Robinson, recovering once again, arrived a split-second late.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The eggs were laid in the nest overlooking Big Bear Lake.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacramento Bee,
20 Feb. 2025
-
The Highlanders took their biggest lead, seven points, with 6:32 left in the second quarter on a lay in by Devon Norice.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Most recently, Millie Bobby Brown ditched her signature brunette for a bombshell blonde with lush long layers.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Lead With Soft Skills And Outcomes In today’s competitive market, standing out means ditching the experience-first résumé.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The serum stick is great for travel or stashing in your purse.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Take pictures of your screen, emails, or documents using your own device and stash them away in a safe location.—
Selina Wang,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Last July, Belk unloaded more than $950 million in debt and gave some lenders more controlling interests in the company.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2025
-
Campers might consider unloading essentials from those cabinets before deploying the tent – or just deal with the slight inconvenience of having to crouch in through half-open hatches.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
These bears were laying up fat for their winter’s hibernation, and there must have been a dozen or so of them.—
Frank C. Hibben,
Outdoor Life,
13 Feb. 2025
-
Now he was laid up with a spinal injury in the Victorian home of a country doctor, his future uncertain.—
Ash Carter,
airmail.news,
7 Dec. 2024
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.
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20by. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share