1
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
she lays the butter on so thickly that you hardly taste the bagel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to employ
chiefly British
to provide with a paying job
lay on more staff for the busy tourist season in the Lake District
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay on
Verb
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With the draft beginning this coming Sunday and the trade deadline at the end of the month, A.J. Preller’s closest lieutenants are in San Diego rather than spread around the country looking at big-league and amateur players.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 July 2025 -
Zoning, including single-family-exclusive zoning, first spread across the US in the early 20th century (before that, development was far more freewheeling and improvised).—
Marina Bolotnikova,
Vox,
7 July 2025
Verb
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And importantly for companies, why employ thousands of humans to answer those calls?—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
1 July 2025
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Israeli warships and ground launchers also employ the medium/long-range Barak air defense system, which compared to David’s Sling is fully-indigenous, cheaper and slightly shorter-ranged.—
Sebastien Roblin,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
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As my Organizational Behavior professor at INSEAD, Kets de Vries challenged us to think about how to apply principles, not just learn them.—
Melanie Hughes,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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The same applies to travelers with mobility concerns.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
13 July 2025
Verb
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To produce these communications, the House also hired a video producer at $115,000 a year, according to public records.—
Mary Jo Pitzl,
AZCentral.com,
13 July 2025
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The Sisters of Bon Secours – the nuns who ran the home from 1925 to 1961 – hired a consulting company that denied a mass grave altogether, saying there was no evidence children had been buried there.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
13 July 2025
Verb
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And Musk ‒ despised by many on the left and now seemingly a Trump foe ‒ would need to recruit candidates to a party that lacks a clear agenda.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
9 July 2025
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Colorado College under Kris Mayotte has smartly recruited mid-round picks who were top players for their CHL teams, but are maybe not marquee names.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Baldoni’s countersuit, accusing her of smearing him, was dismissed last week.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
19 June 2025
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In extreme cases, some parents will threaten to smear the therapist's name, leave bad reviews, complain to the licensing board, or even threaten the therapist’s physical safety.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
23 June 2025
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Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20on. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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