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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lay in
Michael Dale lay in his Escondido home with a plastic bag wrapped around his head and sealed with duct tape for at least eight minutes as Michaela Rylaarsdam, vibrator in hand, kept the cameras rolling, according to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in San Diego Superior Court.
—
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Their interest lay in the contemporary pop culture of their time, consisting largely of rock ‘n’ roll and beach movies starring Annette Fuicello and Frankie Avalon.
—Raj Tawney, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
Roseberry’s work privileges spectacle—volume, gold, anatomical exaggeration—where Schiaparelli’s shock lay in wit and displacement.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
His response lay in his roots, growing up learning about his mother’s family and seeing his father work daily on four hours of sleep a night.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Their interest lay in the contemporary pop culture of their time, consisting largely of rock ‘n’ roll and beach movies starring Annette Fuicello and Frankie Avalon.
—Raj Tawney, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
Roseberry’s work privileges spectacle—volume, gold, anatomical exaggeration—where Schiaparelli’s shock lay in wit and displacement.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
His response lay in his roots, growing up learning about his mother’s family and seeing his father work daily on four hours of sleep a night.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lay in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay in
Verb
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That's why making noise, storing food properly and carrying accessible bear spray remain your best defenses.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
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The only opposition came from James Eadie, a licensed pyrotechnic operator, who said hobby rocket users could have difficulty complying with the bill because many local governments do not have permitting processes for storing small quantities of rocket motors.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The separate bottom-zipper section is an absolute lifesaver if you — like me — are accustomed to bringing along multiple pairs of shoes or want a place to stash wet swimwear or heavy toiletries.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
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This wooden nightstand has just enough drawer space for stashing nightly reads, melatonin, and your favorite sleep mask.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Females mate only once in their 10–30-day lifespan but can lay up to 3,000 eggs.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
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According to Wilkins, a single female iguana can lay up to 70 eggs, contributing to rapid population growth.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
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 20 Jun. 2026.
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