as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place
be sure to lay in enough food for the long Alaska winter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of lay in
While 3-4 won’t get you there, the first steps clearly lay in the coming days.
—
Noah White, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
Liverpool’s pursuit of Champions League qualification lay in tatters.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
For Dickinson, the greater challenge lay in finding the right tone to strike around the film’s sensitive subject matter of homelessness and mental health.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
According to scholar Nadia Margolis, the key to Christine’s success with her various projects lay in her acute awareness of existing in a men’s world with a dramatically unfair power imbalance.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Noah White, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
Liverpool’s pursuit of Champions League qualification lay in tatters.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
For Dickinson, the greater challenge lay in finding the right tone to strike around the film’s sensitive subject matter of homelessness and mental health.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
According to scholar Nadia Margolis, the key to Christine’s success with her various projects lay in her acute awareness of existing in a men’s world with a dramatically unfair power imbalance.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay in
Verb
-
The bronze doors and concrete walls with remarkably few windows looked ancient, and the building more closely resembled a student dormitory awaiting demolition than an institution where precious cultural assets from around the world were collected and stored.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For decades, this half-square-mile town wedged between Costco and Highway 1 has been hiding in plain sight — a warehouse district turned open-air art gallery, where murals climb concrete walls and sculptors work in spaces that once stored industrial equipment.—
Audrey T. Williams,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The hoodie’s kangaroo-style pocket is perfect for stashing your phone, headphones, and other small essentials.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Dixeight Nylon Tote Bag Three interior pockets and three exterior pockets—including a discreet zippered pocket that’s perfect for stashing your wallet or keys—come together in this featherlight nylon travel tote.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Female moths can lay up to 500 eggs at a time.7 Pantry moths are most destructive in their larval stage, so discouraging this stage will help prevent the infestation from spreading.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20in. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
