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Showing results for lay. Search instead for layed.
Definitions

lay

[lay] / leɪ /
ADJECTIVE
amateur, not trained in a religious or other profession
Synonyms
Antonyms






VERB
design, plan
Synonyms


VERB
bet, wager
Synonyms
NOUN
a song or poem
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

A woman was close by talking to him, she said, before "he jumped in and crawled in front of the tiger, where the tiger was perched and just lay there".

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

In July 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, under whose aegis the Central Pacific Railroad would lay track east from Sacramento and the Union Pacific west from the Missouri River.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits each week has fallen to historic lows, reinforcing that companies are very reluctant to lay off workers with the economy growing steadily.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

"When I first saw the construction site at Rooppur, I realized how much work lay ahead on this project... honestly, Rooppur changed me and my life," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

On the table in front of the switchboard lay a single sheet of typewritten paper.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

The path he laid out ran through Alaska, Ohio, North Carolina, and Maine.

From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2026

Perhaps it's not overly imaginative to be opting for the current top two in Germany's second tier but FC Nuremberg meet all the selection criteria laid out above.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

In May that year, the company laid off 150 workers and dozens of contractors and part-time workers in areas including its social media teams.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

“I don’t remember hearing them leave. I don’t know how long it was that I laid there before I rolled over, and I looked up and my car was like right there.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

He always ran with his ears laid back tight to his head.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

"Rush fabricated a highly classified program to justify the acquisition of luxury real estate in South Florida, which he then intended to resell for personal profit," the court filing laying out the deal states.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

The billionaire is laying the groundwork for a $15 billion refinery across the bay from the 700-year-old Swahili trading port.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Top delegates to the Pacific talks will hold a one-day retreat on low-lying Tuvalu, a small island nation laying plans to relocate the population if it is consumed by the ocean.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

The video shows a woman emerging from a Honda Odyssey parked at 926 W. Park Lane. at 9:15 a.m. on Sept. 8 and laying kibble on the ground near the driver’s-side door of the car.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The Professor stepped over, and laying his hand on his shoulder, said in his grave, kindly way:—

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker




Vocabulary lists containing lay


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