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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Kennedy is a longtime anti-vaccine advocate who is now using his position as the top US health official to spread misinformation and doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
2 Apr. 2025 -
Crushed pistachios, slivered almonds and two blackberries spread over a silky custard awash with sweet, nutty flavor.—
Benjy Egel,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Following successful efforts in Indonesia, the Sheba Hope Grows™ program has grown to include a global network of more than 200 reef builders worldwide, some employing different methods catered more specifically to their environment.—
Cat Cardenas,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
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According to the group’s letter, these businesses account for more than $800 million in annual revenue, employing thousands of people internationally and domestically.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In other words, the same asset that feels untouchable when trying to borrow from a bank suddenly becomes fully visible when applying for student aid.—
Ilona Limonta-Volkova,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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After the announcement of the acquisition, China took its turn to apply the pressure.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The official also said many of the programs hit by the latest cuts were recently granted hiring privileges or had spending modifications to their contracts approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.—
Shannon K. Kingston,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2025
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He was hired in 2015 after a 106-game stint with the Sacramento Kings.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Peace Corps, established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy and later authorized by Congress, recruits and deploys American volunteers to support development efforts around the world.—
Will Steakin,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2025
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Finding people to send into the quake zone is proving difficult too, amid fears that younger people will be arrested and forcibly recruited into the army.—
Ross Adkin,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Timothy Martin smeared red and black paint on a case shielding a nearly 150-year-old sculpture by Edgar Degas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
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Martin and a companion on April 27, 2023, entered the Washington, DC, museum and smeared washable red and black paint on the case protecting Edgar Degas’s 1881 Little Dancer Aged Fourteen in an effort to bring attention to the climate crisis.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 2025.
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