as in tool
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another
the novel's characters are not fully fleshed humans, but are simply lay figures strutted out to serve as mouthpieces for conflicting points of view
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay figure
Noun
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Other tools, such as my own Swan Dive method can help as well.—
Bryce Hoffman,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025 -
That in itself is a valuable tool for a defenseman: being able to skate the puck into the neutral zone and then make a clean first pass to get the offensive process started.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
Noun
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What follows across ten episodes are assassination attempts, uneasy alliances, and deft political manoeuvring as the regents use Blackthorne like a pawn.—
Griff Griffin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 May 2025
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At that point, the Kremlin can use Iran as a pawn to make deals with other powers.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
5 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Lay figure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figure. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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