lain

verb

Definition of lainnext
past participle of lie
1
as in gone
to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction the train tracks lie just over that hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in been
to occupy a place or location I left the book lying on the counter

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in hidden
to remain out of sight paparazzi were lying in wait outside the restaurant, a well-known celebrity hangout

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lain
  1. gone
  2. been
  3. extended
  4. sat
  5. led
  6. run
Verb
  • Despite the slower pace of things pre-internet, all 250,000 tickets had gone within nine hours.
    — Devinder Bains, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The two candidates have gone head-to-head in recent weeks over support of police and plans to fight corruption in what’s sure to be one of the top races to watch this fall.
    — Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of gone
Verb
  • But nowhere have the politics of data centers been more strained than in the Wisconsin governor’s race.
    — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
  • These are women in their late 30s, still single, who’ve been through relationships and are still trying, who could have had kids and haven’t, committed to their work and to enjoying themselves.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of been
Verb
  • The change in leadership comes less than two years after UCLA extended Jarmond’s contract through June 2029.
    — Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Its graphics processing capabilities were repeatedly extended into new arenas, most consequentially AI computing.
    — Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of extended
Verb
  • This fine establishment has sat at the same address in the Williamsburg Bridge's shadow since 1887, and the interiors carry about as many frills as your average public house—dark wood, plaster walls, and so on.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
  • The birthday boy and his big sister Sterling Skye, 3, each sat between one of their parents’ laps.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of sat
Verb
  • The defense team is led by attorney Alan Jackson, who previously represented Nick Reiner in the murder case involving his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • My expert shopping adventure led me to 10 can’t-miss Labor Day discounts going for $20 or less.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of led
Verb
  • Stone ran for three touchdowns, including an 85-yarder late in the first half.
    — Mike McGraw, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Sebold’s was the third such attack in Thornden Park, which runs alongside the campus, in about seven months.
    — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of run
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

laid up
lain
lain (down)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lain. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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