LAY DOWN Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

lay down

verb

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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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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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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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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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of lay down Gary goes to Glenn, who lays down the law, which shouldn’t mean anything anymore, but Chase listens to him and begrudgingly follows Gary’s orders. —

Emma Soren, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025 At the start of the fourth episode, the traitors chose three innocent faithfuls to lay down in coffins outside in front of everyone. —

Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2025 Estonian border guards caught the Russian theft on video: a handful of uniformed men in patrol boats moving slowly up the river between the two countries, systematically removing 25 of the 50 buoys laid down by Estonia to mark the frontier. —

Tamar Jacoby, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025 The first barrels of commercial American Single Malt were laid down in the 1990s but by the end of the 2000s, there were still only a handful of ASM producers. —

Chris Perugini, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for lay down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down

Verb

At least eight states — California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia — have enacted measures banning or restricting students’ use of cellphones in schools.

— Andrew Demillo, The Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2025
According to an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute in June 2024, eight states had enacted or proposed laws to limit access to contraception.

— Grant McLaughlin, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025