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
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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
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay down
Salazar capitalized, laying down a bunt single that Freeland threw into right field for an error, allowing Dubon to score.
—
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2025
Mother and daughter butted heads, especially when Trina Frierson started laying down house rules, and Kenishea Frierson, used to setting her own rules, pushed back hard.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Shortly after her birth in October 2019, Georgia posted a picture of the then-newborn laying down with her head turned toward the TV — which had none other than Doctor Who playing on it.
—Audrey Schmidt, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Tan carpet, quarter-inch, laid down right onto the concrete.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2025
Mother and daughter butted heads, especially when Trina Frierson started laying down house rules, and Kenishea Frierson, used to setting her own rules, pushed back hard.
—Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Shortly after her birth in October 2019, Georgia posted a picture of the then-newborn laying down with her head turned toward the TV — which had none other than Doctor Who playing on it.
—Audrey Schmidt, People.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Tan carpet, quarter-inch, laid down right onto the concrete.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay down
Verb
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Congress had enacted byzantine eligibility requirements for disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits, forcing the agency to expend huge amounts of time and money running those programs.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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Chérizier, 48, who’s been actively meeting with former rivals, may be trying to duplicate the conditions in Carrefour, a sprawling suburb south of the capital where gangs now settle disputes, enact rules and profit from residents’ commercial activities.—
Johnny Fils-Aimé,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Close relatives of the federal official who has accused a Federal Reserve governor of improperly claiming primary residence on two properties have declared the same status on two homes in two different states, public records show.—
Marisa Taylor,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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He was declared dead at the scene, according to Capt.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Google hasn’t specified if there will be an eventual end date.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
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The 49ers have not specified what exatly happened to these body parts.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In May 2025, Kraft Heinz announced a strategic review aimed at unlocking shareholder value, and Berkshire Hathaway relinquished its board seats, signaling potential structural changes.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Shortly after Rose took the helm at the pageant, both Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava relinquished their titles.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Army soldiers, even those in non-combat jobs or those who lack previous firearms experience, must pass a rifle marksmanship test that includes targets as far as 325 yards away after mere days of training.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Two games in, though, the Packers have passed both tests with flying colors.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To review or object to instances where our partners assert a legitimate interest in utilizing your data, please visit our vendors page.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
8 Sep. 2025
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Wall asserts that on Etsy, customers often expect prices in the $20-30 range, leaving you with maybe five dollars in profit.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Among them were countless era-defining releases that are still among the best movies ever made—of any genre—from the haunting Rebecca to the gripping Rear Window, and the ravishing Vertigo to the hair-raising Psycho.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
13 Sep. 2025
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Internally, the current workspace contained not only the visible text documents but also any custom words the user added to the dictionary and any additional tForth words defined in memory.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This deepening also has an index in the formal features of his poetry—the ambiguity of his pronouns, the firm particularity of his register of images—which teeters between the mundane and the epiphanic, and renders this imbalance itself into view.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
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When workers are used as invisible inputs in opaque AI systems that determine hiring, promotions and surveillance protocols, their autonomy can be eroded—and traditional labor rights rendered toothless.—
James Felton Keith,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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 13 Sep. 2025.
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