lie with
phrasal verb
lay with; lain with; lying with; lies with
1
—used to say who has the blame or responsibility for something
Responsibility for the accident lies with the company.
2
literary
: to have sex with (someone)
when he first lay with her
Examples of lie with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet political momentum is shifting and now lies with governments willing to prioritize economic competitiveness and security over institutional reform.
—
Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
That means the ultimate authority about how this funding will be spent lies with supervisors.
—Paris Barraza, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
His interest lies with the plain, untitled youth, and with how this newly disorienting, newly dazzling world helped to shape his greatness.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
However, those primarily deal with civil rights, and the responsibility for administering elections still lies with the states.
—Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie with
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Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
That means the ultimate authority about how this funding will be spent lies with supervisors.
—Paris Barraza, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
His interest lies with the plain, untitled youth, and with how this newly disorienting, newly dazzling world helped to shape his greatness.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
However, those primarily deal with civil rights, and the responsibility for administering elections still lies with the states.
—Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie with
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20with. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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