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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Second Movement Next, place the roller behind you and lay down over it; this time with the roller perpendicular to your spine.
—
Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 18 Dec. 2025
Then my sister lay down next to me.
—NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
Millions of Russian men, unwilling to take on lower-status work, lay down on the couch and took to drink.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Second, disassociate from Hamas and other terrorist groups, including Iran, lay down all arms, and come to the table with a plan to live in harmony with Israel.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 18 Dec. 2025
Then my sister lay down next to me.
—NPR, 26 Nov. 2025
Millions of Russian men, unwilling to take on lower-status work, lay down on the couch and took to drink.
—Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
Second, disassociate from Hamas and other terrorist groups, including Iran, lay down all arms, and come to the table with a plan to live in harmony with Israel.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
-
Failure to enact required changes could result in big fines.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
-
At a time when states are enacting an anti-voting agenda to limit who can participate in elections, Maryland must set the standard for an inclusive democracy, not falling short of it.—
Nicole D. Porter,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Police in Northern Ireland on Sunday declared a security alert in the town of Dunmurry, on the outskirts of Belfast, after reports that a car bomb exploded near a police station.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Nearly five decades later, King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive in Washington on Monday for a state visit marking 250 years since the United States declared independence from Britain.—
Fatima Al-Kassab,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One person was taken to a local hospital with injuries, according to Illinois State Police, who did not specify whether this person was in the truck or the car.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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The commission also specifies that these tools must be made available free of charge.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This suggests that Bronze Age individuals relinquished pieces of their wealth as a sacred offering.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But desire refuses to relinquish its demands.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The City Council passed the item by unanimous vote and without discussion.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Mets will reassess after 10 days have passed.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The filing Monday asserts that a shot was heard after Allen, who was outfitted with a shotgun, handgun and several knives, ran through a metal detector.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
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Earlier this month, the federal government filed a lawsuit against Illinois, asserting that the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not the state gaming board, has regulatory authority over those platforms.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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An epic comeback and an epic bounce defined two games that forced Game 7s on Friday night.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
2 May 2026
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That tension — between the gravity of what the commission documented and the limits of what it was empowered to do — defined Thursday’s release of its final report.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Deputies rendered medical aid; however, one man and the woman succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Perhaps Pfleger would be well advised to stick to his faith and his flock and to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, rather than to continue to pontificate from the pulpit — or even the paper.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20down. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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