1
as in putting
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
just lay the book over there on the table for now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in settling
to cause to come to rest at the bottom (as of a liquid)
the rain was just hard enough to lay the dust in the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in imposing
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
state officials tried to lay a tax on merchandise sold over the Internet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in preparing
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in spreading
to put a layer of on a surface
the mason laid mortar over the first row of bricks before starting the second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in betting
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event
I'll lay five dollars that you can't do it
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in attributing
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in burying
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of laying
By securing this agreement, Hyundai Heavy Industries is laying the groundwork for further involvement in the energy sector.
—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
However, the warring parties failed to start second round of talks in Islamabad this week, laying bare key sticking points to a definitive resolution to the fighting.
—Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Iran eventually responded with a concerted campaign of its own against ships in the region, including laying mines.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
There is a much celebrated photo of Carvajal, aged 12, laying the ceremonial foundation stone for their training ground, accompanied by the legendary Alfredo di Stefano.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Unlike down puffer jackets, those with synthetic fill can be successfully air-dried by laying the jacket flat on a clean towel.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 22 Apr. 2026
Reassembling the silos started with laying the concrete floor, including plumbing and drainage.
—Joe Marusak
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, SpaceX has been laying the groundwork for huge upgrades to Starlink Mobile, which is currently available from T-Mobile, but with limited bandwidth.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
The case centers around the federal Employee Retention Tax Credit, a program created by Congress in 2020 to reward employers for not laying people off during the pandemic.
—Angela Palermo
april 11, Idaho Statesman, 11 Apr. 2026
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
However, the warring parties failed to start second round of talks in Islamabad this week, laying bare key sticking points to a definitive resolution to the fighting.
—Alayna Treene, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Iran eventually responded with a concerted campaign of its own against ships in the region, including laying mines.
—Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
There is a much celebrated photo of Carvajal, aged 12, laying the ceremonial foundation stone for their training ground, accompanied by the legendary Alfredo di Stefano.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Unlike down puffer jackets, those with synthetic fill can be successfully air-dried by laying the jacket flat on a clean towel.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 22 Apr. 2026
Reassembling the silos started with laying the concrete floor, including plumbing and drainage.
—Joe Marusak
april 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, SpaceX has been laying the groundwork for huge upgrades to Starlink Mobile, which is currently available from T-Mobile, but with limited bandwidth.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026
The case centers around the federal Employee Retention Tax Credit, a program created by Congress in 2020 to reward employers for not laying people off during the pandemic.
—Angela Palermo
april 11, Idaho Statesman, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for laying
Verb
-
Tucker’s starting to find his way as far as putting the barrel on the ball.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Senate Banking Committee advanced Kevin Warsh’s nomination along party lines on Wednesday, putting him on track for confirmation before Powell’s term as chair ends May 15.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Baltimore sues pharmaceutical companies In 208, Baltimore sued several drug makers and pharmaceutical companies, often settling before reaching a trial.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Notify creditors and allow time for claims to be filed before settling debts.—
Nancy Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Despite outstanding architecture, what makes this imposing building truly notorious is its storied past.—
Regina Zumarraga,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
-
While Lady Gaga took the theme literally, slipping into a huge, imposing fuchsia-pink ensemble, others played it simple.—
Blanche Marcel,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The two were caught on camera by fellow passengers who were filming while the plane was on the runway preparing for takeoff.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The British Embassy in Washington, DC, posted a video on social media on April 27 giving people a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into preparing afternoon tea for 650 people.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Borenstein celebrated the development on Instagram, posting a clip of his interview with the BBC about the update and thanking a Lufthansa rep for their help and followers for spreading the word.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
One idea the team floats is that zinc and manganese are limited resources, so scorpions can only reinforce the most critical parts of the stingers instead of spreading the metals across their entire exoskeleton.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Flagg and Knueppel traded places as betting favorites during the season, but Flagg’s 96-point outburst over two games on the second-to-last weekend might have tipped the scales.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
This could also open up the possibility that the organization could punish Sorsby for his gambling actions, given the NCAA has a very strict policy on betting.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics to non-human objects.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Only Murders in the Building star previously addressed speculation about changes in her appearance and mannerisms, attributing the differences to her ongoing battle with lupus and her bipolar disorder diagnosis.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Carlsson concluded an odd-man rush by burying a beautiful backhand.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The mower was burying itself under shrubs and smashing into 6-inch-tall+ (15-cm+) stone walls.—
Joe Salas
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Laying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/laying. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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