How to Use layup in a Sentence

layup

1 of 2 noun
Definition of layupnext
  • The Celtics had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but Jayson Tatum missed a layup.
    — Kristie Rieken, Chron, 13 Mar. 2023
  • That should have been a layup into the Elite Eight for Painter.
    — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2023
  • Mikal Bridges had a nifty steal and then scored on a fast-break layup for a 44-42 lead.
    — oregonlive, 10 May 2022
  • But a Hall steal led to a Smith layup just before the first half buzzer.
    — Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 29 Mar. 2022
  • Havlicek, in turn, lofted the ball to a sneaking White for a layup.
    — Bob Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Oct. 2022
  • The Cougars shot 57% in the first half and led by 12 when Shead hit a driving layup in the final minute of the half.
    — Brett Martel, Chron, 17 Jan. 2023
  • Then, two more UA turnovers led to a layup from Bona, and the Bruins had cut it to four.
    — Bruce Pascoe, The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2023
  • Brown iced the game with a tough layup at the basket to put Dallas in a 2-0 hole.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2024
  • Braun passed to Jamal Murray, who pushed the ball up the court and went for a layup.
    — Anthony Gharib, USA TODAY, 10 June 2023
  • Her banked layup gave Minnesota State a lead -- and the win.
    — Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
  • Then Max Strus missed a three, and Caleb Martin missed a layup.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2023
  • Even broke a freeze-and-go drive past Gordon for layup.
    — Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 13 Jan. 2023
  • Fox fell to the floor as Smart retrieved the ball and fed White streaking for a layup.
    — Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Nov. 2022
  • Brink also scored a layup at the halftime buzzer to cut the Sparks’ deficit to six points.
    — Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2024
  • The next, Lamont Butler sliced through the lane for a blur of a layup.
    — Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2023
  • His first basket arrived with 5:22 left in the half on a layup.
    — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2023
  • Butler closed the gap to 25-20 at the end of the first half before Kolek dropped in a floating layup.
    — Ben Steele, Journal Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2023
  • Then, Wheeler put in a layup to give the Fever the lead for the first time in the fourth with just over two minutes left.
    — Indystar Sports, The Indianapolis Star, 27 June 2023
  • His first block of the third led to a fastbreak layup for Ivey that gave Detroit the lead for good, 71-69.
    — Detroit Free Press, 12 Jan. 2023
  • Jon Rahm hit his layup shot in the far front of the green and three-putted for a bogey to drop him to 10 under.
    — Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2023
  • Mika Adams-Woods gave UC the lead on a breakaway layup with 14:35.
    — Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 16 Mar. 2023
  • Wilson ended the drought with two free throws and a reverse layup to seal the win.
    — Doug Feinberg, ajc, 24 Sep. 2022
  • Meyers scored 10 points during the spurt on a pair of 3-pointers and a layup.
    — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 5 Feb. 2023
  • Mitchell rolled in a layup then drilled a deep three-pointer to get the Fever within 14 points.
    — Gabby Hajduk, The Indianapolis Star, 16 June 2022
  • In the first minute of the fourth quarter, Mühl found Lopez Sénéchal cutting into the paint for a layup.
    — Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 26 Nov. 2022
  • Her short set felt like little more than a layup to an epic twerk-off.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2022
  • Tatum beat the buzzer with a decisive layup in Game 1, and the Celtics went on to sweep Brooklyn.
    — Trevor Hass, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
  • The Suns got within two when a turnover by Sabonis led to a layup by Beal with 1:02 to go.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 13 Apr. 2024
  • This should have been a layup for Trump against a weak candidate.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
  • Napheesa Collier’s layup to end the first half tied the game at 25 as both teams headed to the locker room struggling to score.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 11 Aug. 2024
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lay up

2 of 2 verb
  • Most guys will lay up to their number and try to wedge it to 10 feet.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 June 2021
  • Amid all the action, on 15, Åberg found the trees off the tee and was forced to lay up on the reachable par 5.
    — Brad Thomas, NBC News, 14 Apr. 2024
  • Each female fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs at a time!
    — Natalie Schumann, Country Living, 23 May 2022
  • Bradley had to lay up from the rough on the par-5 14th, and Burns didn't have time to contemplate his next shot.
    — Doug Ferguson, orlandosentinel.com, 2 May 2021
  • From 308 yards, while on the fairway, Scheffler didn't choose to lay up.
    — USA TODAY, 20 May 2022
  • Heft needed surgery and was laid up for months, unable to walk.
    — Claire Bessette, Hartford Courant, 8 May 2024
  • With my new job’s start date looming, I can’t be laid up for days with my bike at a garage.
    — Emily Zebel, Longreads, 23 May 2024
  • The Rangers also went 9-2 in games that Garver caught while Heim was laid up on the injured list.
    — Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 14 Aug. 2023
  • This is probably the best and safest way to lay up with a prehistoric pal.
    — Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2022
  • The facts are right too: clown fish can lay up to 1,000 eggs and anglerfish use their headlamps as lures.
    — Robert Anderson, PCMAG, 9 Nov. 2022
  • Fruit flies like to multiply; females can lay up to 100 eggs a day.
    — Malia Wollan, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2021
  • That set the stage for Fox, who chose to lay up on the 18th not trusting his lie in moderate rough with water in front of the green.
    — Associated Press, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Sep. 2023
  • Bees and ants reproduce quickly–a queen can lay up to thousands of eggs in a day.
    — Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024
  • But my brother and I hadn’t flown across the country to lay up after splitting the fairway on a par five.
    — Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2021
  • Golfers will be faced with the choice of going for the green in two from a much longer spot, or laying up and focusing on the green with their third shot.
    — Paul Newberry, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2023
  • The putt that mattered most belonged to Schauffele, who had to lay up short of the water and rely on a wedge and a putt for par and a 4-under 67.
    — Time, 1 Aug. 2021
  • Anson’s vessels were laid up on what was known as Rotten Row.
    — David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023
  • Homa, who finished 1-over for the day, took very few chances, laying up on the final two par-5s on Saturday.
    — Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2024
  • Korda couldn’t get close enough with a wedge after having to lay up.
    — Doug Ferguson, orlandosentinel.com, 14 Sep. 2020
  • Bald eagles can lay up to four eggs per year, usually between two and five days apart.
    — Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2023
  • Sitting two after deciding to lay up 71 yards from the pin, Lopez needed four strokes to hole out.
    — Edgar Thompson, orlandosentinel.com, 24 Jan. 2022
  • Of course, things aren’t looking so great for Stanton, either, who’s laid up after falling ill the last episode.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2024
  • But a wayward tee shot at the 17th forced Woods to lay up short of the bunker, leading to bogey, and a tee shot into the trees left of 18 forced him to hit his approach shot off the pine straw.
    — Dave Skretta, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Apr. 2023
  • Those two moments laid up against each other very nicely.
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 13 Oct. 2023
  • Expect bucks to show up along entry and exit trails to these safe havens, as does filter back from feeding areas to lay up for the day.
    — Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 20 Oct. 2020
  • After hitting his drive in the native area and having to lay up into the fairway, Bryan holed out from 103 yards out for eagle.
    — Dallas News, 12 May 2022
  • Oosthuizen, coming off a birdie to get within three, had to lay up out of the thick grass on the 13th and then sent his third shot right of the flag and into the water, making triple bogey.
    — Author: Doug Ferguson, Anchorage Daily News, 24 May 2021
  • The non-native frogs can lay up to 1,000 eggs during the spring and summer months, especially after heavy rains.
    — Hannah Farrow, Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2024
  • Korda seized control with an iron into the par-5 12th for the 8-foot eagle putt, a three-shot swing when Salas — who had to lay up on the hole — hit wedge over the green into a bunker and made bogey.
    — Doug Ferguson, chicagotribune.com, 27 June 2021
  • Ball is below his feet, so Johnson decides to lay up, hitting his second to within 83 yards.
    — oregonlive, 21 Aug. 2020

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'layup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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