lay by

verb

Definition of lay bynext
1
as in to discard
to get rid of as useless or unwanted a politician who had laid by his principles years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place ever since the last hurricane caught them unprepared, they have laid by emergency supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay by
  1. discard
  2. store
  3. dump
  4. lay in
  5. ditch
  6. stash
  7. unload
  8. lay up
Verb
  • It could have been discarded as a worthwhile punt that just did not work out, but the scrutiny on the transfer increased when Kai Havertz sustained a season-ending hamstring tear in February.
    — Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The next step is deciding what to keep, discard or reimagine.
    — Kerry Brown, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of discard
Verb
  • The options are generally to store them, donate them to another patient, dispose of them, or donate them to science.
    — Ellen O'Connell Whittet, TIME, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Students at an Australian high school got a thrilling paleontology lesson this week when a researcher confirmed that a rock slab stored on their campus for two decades preserves dozens of dinosaur footprints dating back some 200 million years.
    — Leslie Katz, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of store
Verb
  • It’s expected to dump 1 to 2 inches of rain along the coast and up to 4 inches in the valleys at rates that could cause problems.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The smaller virtual star lived for 12.2 million years before dying in an explosive supernova, dumping about 0.051 solar masses of oxygen (nearly 17,000 Earth masses) into its surrounding space.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of dump
Verb
  • In another scene, Laurie prays again while laying in bed underneath an angel wings cut-out.
    — Abby Monteil, Them, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The foundation for the 2025 NFL season is laid in February, March and April.
    — Steve Silverman, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Definition of lay in
Verb
  • Eight years later, Democrats have devolved into nostrums about appealing to the middle class, ditching academic language, and finding a uniting message.
    — Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
  • After class, ditch the grip socks and turn it into a look with your favorite cardigan or leather jacket.
    — Aemilia Madden, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • Easy to stash in a purse or beach bag, the stick swivels up so no sharpening is required—nor is a brush.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Some people stash it in inconspicuous places around the house, a habit that experts say can lead to trouble down the line.
    — Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of stash
Verb
  • Endeavor has been steadily unloading assets in the wake of an April 2024 announcement that private equity giant Silver Lake—already a sizable Endeavor investor—would be taking the company private at $27.5 per share.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The 46-year-old has been unloading a lot of baggage lately.
    — Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of unload
Verb
  • He was laid up in bed for five weeks in the summer of 1919 but returned to the job that fall.
    — Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Morikawa was laid up 90 yards out, while Henley's approach sailed right of the green.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of lay up
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

lay back
lay by
lay down
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Cite this Entry

“Lay by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20by. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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