as in to fasten
to attach (a rope) to something so that it is secure
The climber belayed the rope.
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Recent Examples of belay
The ship’s resting place deep underwater helped preserve key features, like bow clamps and belaying pins, by limiting the growth of invasive quagga mussels, as noted in the release.
—
Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Drinking should happen after you’re done belaying for the day.
—Outside Editors, Outside Online, 3 July 2025
So the climbers who found the elk helped rig him up to belay the creature to the base of the wall, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 7 Jan. 2025
Born as a design concept to give climbers a shoe to wear for quick access to the crag, comfort when belaying and recovery after a climb, the Kragg fills a need.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for belay
Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Drinking should happen after you’re done belaying for the day.
—Outside Editors, Outside Online, 3 July 2025
So the climbers who found the elk helped rig him up to belay the creature to the base of the wall, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 7 Jan. 2025
Born as a design concept to give climbers a shoe to wear for quick access to the crag, comfort when belaying and recovery after a climb, the Kragg fills a need.
—Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for belay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belay
Verb
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This roster is held together like wet cardboard fastened by cellophane tape.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
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Stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened and wait for the storm to pass.—
Staff reports,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Over five shutout innings in his major league debut, the 23-year-old left-hander fanned 11 of their batters, tying the Red Sox record for strikeouts by a debuting pitcher, set by Don Aase on July 26, 1977.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
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These options are often less expensive, faster, and more closely tied to job outcomes than a four-year degree.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Having a good grooming regimen is also recommended to ensure the dog's nails are clipped, their ears are cleaned, and the coat is brushed thoroughly.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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The carry handles each have a magnetic piece that then clips together to form a single bar to grasp.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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McLaren is also on the brink of securing their second consecutive championship, now sitting pretty at the top of the constructors’ standings with 617 points and needing just a one-two finish - or to outscore Ferrari by nine points - in Baku to clinch the title.—
Yara Elshebiny,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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The plan to build Roy Blunt Luminary Park, named after the former United States senator from Missouri who helped clinch federal funding for the project, has been in the works for years.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Arrange the leaves randomly in a pattern or a gradient, and pin them to the canvas for an elegant fall addition to any room.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Sep. 2025
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Tijjani Reijnders, Foden and either Doku or O’Reilly had to time their movement to pin Leny Yoro or Luke Shaw, or attack the gap in United’s defence.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And then there’s Eros, also known as Cupid, who flies away with his little buttocks clenched at the least hint of a rational process.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
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Yang Guoliang said, his hands clenched in fists.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Kids 5 to 13, for instance, can strap on a pair during Blizzard Buddies day camp, while anglers can use them to access the north fork of the Gallatin River for year-round fly-fishing without the crowds.—
Nicholas DeRenzo,
AFAR Media,
16 Sep. 2025
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The device famously introduced stereoscopic 3D, requiring players to strap into a clunky headset to experience its groundbreaking (and headache-inducing) parallax effects decades before the VR boom of the 2010s.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belay. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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