as in to ambush
to lie in wait for and attack by surprise
a lonely stretch of highway along which unsuspecting tourists are often waylaid by gangs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waylay
Barbra Streisand was meant to show up to receive a honorary Palme d’Or, but was waylaid by a knee injury.
—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
23 May 2026
Ruff said on Sunday after the Sabres waylaid the Bruins 6-1 in Boston.
—
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
The Padres have gotten promising results from two reclamation projects in Walker Buehler and Germán Márquez, veterans who used to lead pitching staffs before Tommy John surgery waylaid them the past couple seasons.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
Now Picard is zipping around the cosmos again, The Lord of the Rings is waylaid with prequels and spin-offs, and somehow, Palpatine returned.
—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waylay
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
23 May 2026
Ruff said on Sunday after the Sabres waylaid the Bruins 6-1 in Boston.
—
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
The Padres have gotten promising results from two reclamation projects in Walker Buehler and Germán Márquez, veterans who used to lead pitching staffs before Tommy John surgery waylaid them the past couple seasons.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
Now Picard is zipping around the cosmos again, The Lord of the Rings is waylaid with prequels and spin-offs, and somehow, Palpatine returned.
—
Matthew Razak,
Space.com,
13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waylay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waylay
Verb
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In the suit, Ibrahim alleges that he was lured to the gym under the pretense of a challenge and was ambushed by Watson, a co-owner of the gym and two other men.
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The facility hosts a memorial for past police horses and former Officer Tara O’Sullivan, who was ambushed and killed when responding to a domestic violence incident in 2019.
Verb
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He is accused of attacking a 27-year-old man with a beer mug inside the Hula Bar on Saturday night.
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Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
Cite this Entry
“Waylay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waylay. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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