lay by

verb

Definition of lay bynext
1
as in to dump
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. dump
  2. store
  3. discard
  4. lay in
  5. ditch
  6. stash
  7. unload
  8. lay up
Verb
  • During that interview with Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, teammates attempted to join the celebration, with Guerrero and Straw attempting to dump water over Lukes as part of the team’s tradition.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • These men never anticipated being dumped in a New Jersey ditch so far from home.
    — Jennifer Janofsky, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dump
Verb
  • The panels store within the roof rails when driving but expand at camp to deliver up to 600 watts of charging while doubling as an awning, saving space and weight as compared to separate awning and charging systems.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Their discovery drew immediate scrutiny of the owners of the funeral home, who previously operated a south suburban crematory that was shut down in March 2025 after the remains of more than 100 bodies were found improperly stored there.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of store
Verb
  • Peeling, trimming, and discarding green portions are the most effective measures to ensure a potato is safe to eat.
    — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
  • If that prediction is wrong, the processor discards the work, although traces can remain behind.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of discard
Verb
  • Those are solid efficiency metrics, but even more value lay in how that time was reinvested.
    — Ganesh Shankar, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The true promise of BlackNet for crypto-anarchy lay in the indirect effect of monetizing secrets.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of lay in
Verb
  • The Buffaloes ditched chasing transfers who were former four- and five-star high school athletes from blue-blood programs who had yet to be consistent contributors at the college level.
    — Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Understatement rather than flash, over-the-top ditched in favor of restraint.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of ditch
Verb
  • Shoes have a reputation for being clunky and not ideal for packing, but these lightweight, flexible flats can be stashed in a carry-on or weekender bag with no trouble.
    — Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • August has been a solid month for stocks, but investors hoping to stash some cash in the fall can still be paid well for using certificates of deposit.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of stash
Verb
  • The new vessel, according to the CSL Group (CSL), the world’s largest owner and operator of self-unloading ships, will greatly boost Adbri’s limestone operations.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Welcomed by Herky the Hornet, the cheer team and the campus community, the students and their families checked in before unloading their belongings and setting up their new rooms.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of unload
Verb
  • Mayflies lay up to 10,000 eggs in the water, and their nymphs can't survive in water that is polluted.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
  • Female wasps can lay up to 200 eggs a day as long as a host insect is available.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 19 June 2026
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 5 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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