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Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue
Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”
Examples of lieu in a Sentence
I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church.
—
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Recent Examples on the Web
In lieu of a cap, each bottle comes with a white porcelain bell jar that fits snugly atop.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2025
The trips were held in lieu of holiday parties that HACC threw in past years at a similar expense, Monocchio said.
—Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in his name to the Bear League.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025
The Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist had been held at Sacramento County Main Jail in lieu of $1 million bail since his arrest one week ago.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for lieu 
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Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2025
The trips were held in lieu of holiday parties that HACC threw in past years at a similar expense, Monocchio said.
—Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in his name to the Bear League.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025
The Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist had been held at Sacramento County Main Jail in lieu of $1 million bail since his arrest one week ago.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for lieu
Dictionary Entries Near lieu
Cite this Entry
“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lieu
noun
archaic
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