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
-
The ripple effects of the tense relations with the US have spread through Canadian society, with fans at NHL and NBA games in Canada even booing the US national anthem.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025 -
That evening outside Eaton Canyon, the fire spread without halting.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Many of the world's top tech companies employ ethical hackers—including IBM, Google and PwC—to uncover vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.—
Vytautas Kaziukonis,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
-
The federal tax collector employs roughly 90,000 workers total across the United States, according to the latest IRS data.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
And this particularly applies to products such as pharmaceuticals.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
-
This mode uses software smarts to determine the edges of subjects and apply an oftentimes imperfect blur—particularly around hair and eyeglasses—but Xiaomi's concept circumvents this problem thanks to its large sensor.—
Simon Hill,
WIRED,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Before the end of 2010, TBS had hired him for a new late-night show, Conan, which ran through 2021.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Walt Disney Studios has hired former Warner Bros. executive Andrew Cripps as head of theatrical distribution.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But the contracts on the chopping block also helped cover medical services, fund cancer programs, recruit doctors and provide burial services to veterans, according to internal VA documents reported Tuesday by The Washington Post.—
EMILY DAVIES AND HANNAH NATANSON THE WASHINGTON POST,
arkansasonline.com,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The management recruits a consultant who also doesn’t know the organization but who purports to have dealt with similar problems in the past.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Carbs Before bed, the best carbohydrate options are complex carbs and whole foods, like a piece of whole-grain toast smeared with avocado or a banana with almond butter.—
Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD,
Verywell Health,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Soap removes sticky spills, smeared food or mud; bleach might take out the stains left once the crud is gone.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2025
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.
Video
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 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share