Did you know?
Lieu vs. Loo vs. Lue
Due to its unusual Francophonic spelling, many people misspell lieu (which appears most often in the phrase in lieu of) as loo or lue. We even have evidence for people assuming the phrase is inlu of. It is, in fact, in lieu of. Lieu as a standalone noun means “place” and it’s now archaic. You can remember the spelling of lieu by using the mnemonic “lieu in everyday use.”
Examples of lieu in a Sentence
I have decided that in lieu of a going-away shower, those who wish to go in on a nice gift for her can see me after church.
—
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Garrison Keillor, Leaving Home, 1989
Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours?
—Charles Dickens, American Notes for General Circulation, 1842
But when she read, and re-read with the closest attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham's resigning all pretensions to the living, of his receiving, in lieu, so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds, again was she forced to hesitate.
—Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
Recent Examples on the Web
Sports fans can appreciate subtlety but there is a reason baseball hosts a home run derby and not a bunt fest, and basketball has a dunk contest in lieu of a layup line.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Harris-Dawson also proposed that employees have the ability to waive out of the health plan in lieu of cash if they are already covered by Medicare or other coverage.
—City News Service, Daily News, 14 May 2026
This version uses fresh broccoli and a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise in lieu of cream of mushroom soup.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Avoid tracking clumpy sand into your car or hotel room by using a sand-resistant beach blanket in lieu of a towel.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lieu
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.
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Harris-Dawson also proposed that employees have the ability to waive out of the health plan in lieu of cash if they are already covered by Medicare or other coverage.
—City News Service, Daily News, 14 May 2026
This version uses fresh broccoli and a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise in lieu of cream of mushroom soup.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Avoid tracking clumpy sand into your car or hotel room by using a sand-resistant beach blanket in lieu of a towel.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lieu
Cite this Entry
“Lieu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lieu. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lieu
noun
archaic
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
