as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place
the weather forecast warned of a severe storm, so we laid away a generous supply of bottled water and canned food just in case
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in installment plan
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay away
Tom Hyland, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2021
Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2025
Adopted from South Korea as a baby, she was raised lovingly by parents who did their best, recalling a home where household goods were often purchased on layaway.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay away
Verb
Yet, despite the tannins, Freisa is not a wine to lay away in most examples, but rather one that should be enjoyed early on, often chilled, with soups, seafood or lighter meats.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2021
Noun
There is also a layaway plan for single-day general admission tickets that starts at $50.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2025
Adopted from South Korea as a baby, she was raised lovingly by parents who did their best, recalling a home where household goods were often purchased on layaway.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay away
Verb
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Before this week, water stored in snowpack was near record-minimum levels in Colorado and Utah, a critical portion of the Colorado River basin that serves approximately 40 million people.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Stars use fusion to generate hundreds of times the energy stored even gravitationally.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The company introduced installment plans, letting customers pay for sewing machines over time.—
Paula de la Cruz,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The problem is that those installment plans don't exist in isolation.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the calls, Mary detailed to the deputies the steps Nathan was taking to kill her, from affixing a tracker on her car to stashing a black backpack in her garage containing duct tape, zip ties and a note with the word ‘waterboarding’ written on it.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
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Plus, there are subtle side pockets to secretly stash your phone, keys, and other small essentials.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Its benefits can offset the annual fee, but the hotel credit is broken up semiannually and only applies to stays of two nights or longer booked through Bilt Travel.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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This is the full context for why, despite the slings and arrows of critics, Isom deserves credit for navigating a uniquely challenging situation with aplomb.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Two days after the killings, a body still lay in blood on Thursday.—
Pelumi Salako,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Colleyville Heritage dumps Argyle in 2 OTs Colleyville Heritage got a hugh lay in by Sameer Johnson at the fourth quarter buzzer, off an assist by Dmauri Evans, to tie the game at 48 allowing the Panthers to subdue Argyle 57-51 in double overtime on Thursday.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward Marta Suárez (7) lays up a first half shot against the Houston Cougars during the first half at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, February 4, 2026.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
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The only time the Fitzgerald made it to its homeport of Milwaukee was when the ship was laid up during the 1959 steel strike, from June to October.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Flip the script and set up an entryway for staying put by placing a comfy daybed by the door.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
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Shares jumped nearly 9% on the news Friday and traded roughly 2½ times the average daily options volume, with calls outpacing puts by well over 4:1.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
21 July 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20away. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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