lay figures

plural of lay figure
as in tools
one that is or can be used to further the purposes of another the novel's characters are not fully fleshed humans, but are simply lay figures strutted out to serve as mouthpieces for conflicting points of view

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay figures
Noun
  • Another unexpected win here is that the side of the docking station opens up to reveal perfect little spaces to store the extra mini-brush and crevice tools.
    Loz Blain September 20, New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Beyond the imminent threat posed by Chinese hackers and Volt Typhoon, Rob Lee of Dragos cites the war in Ukraine as a big driver for choosing to donate the company's tools to infrastructure operators.
    Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His congressional pawns could have passed a law outlawing ridicule of the president.
    Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Missing pawns, cracked hourglass timers, and flimsy boxes have a way of sneaking up on you.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 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.

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“Lay figures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20figures. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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