as in to ambush
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
a lonely stretch of highway along which unsuspecting tourists are often waylaid by gangs
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Recent Examples of waylay
The classic is about Michael, an Irish sailor (Welles), who rescues Elsa (Hayworth) when her coach gets waylaid in Central Park and falls for her.
—
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Subway travel in Brooklyn was briefly waylaid when a tree fell onto the tracks of the N train near the Eighth Ave.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, federal legislation that could steer billions of dollars into modernizing the patchwork 911 system remains waylaid in Congress.
—Stephanie Armour, USA TODAY, 16 July 2024
But that project appears to have been waylaid by delays.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for waylay 
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Subway travel in Brooklyn was briefly waylaid when a tree fell onto the tracks of the N train near the Eighth Ave.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, federal legislation that could steer billions of dollars into modernizing the patchwork 911 system remains waylaid in Congress.
—Stephanie Armour, USA TODAY, 16 July 2024
But that project appears to have been waylaid by delays.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for waylay
Thesaurus Entries Near waylay
Cite this Entry
“Waylay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waylay. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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