lay on

verb

Definition of lay onnext
1
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface she lays the butter on so thickly that you hardly taste the bagel

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to employ
chiefly British to provide with a paying job lay on more staff for the busy tourist season in the Lake District

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay on
  1. spread
  2. employ
  3. apply
  4. hire
  5. lay
  6. recruit
  7. smear
Verb
  • Swells from Isaias are affecting the western and northern portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and will spread northward toward the Gulf Coast on Friday.
    — MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Food and drink With half a dozen restaurants spread around the complex, there’s no need to eat the same dish twice.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of spread
Verb
  • The company is walking the walk, employing myriad strategies to stay current and anticipate consumer needs in an increasingly fast-moving market.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Siemens Healthineers is a medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, and employs 74,000 people worldwide.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of employ
Verb
  • Haynie may have been responding to reports specific to Syracuse, but his response applies to all colleges.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Because the workers had troubles, that's why this settlement has been applied.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • Chesney told fans during a UCLA men’s basketball game shortly after he was hired that the football team is playing for banners.
    — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, public records show the firms hired to represent the officials racked up hefty legal bills, with some lawyers charging the state $800 an hour.
    — Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of hire
Verb
  • Yes, your brain might go to angular guitars, but to lay claim to that genre, all a band really needs to do is make certain their music is not simply punk.
    — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Four years ago, after helping found Matter, Apple rebuilt HomeKit’s underlying architecture and revamped the Home app, laying a strong foundation.
    — Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of lay
Verb
  • To help recruit a younger demographic, Clarins has teamed with Pop Mart to create product packaging featuring an illustrated girl character, named Molly in Paris.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The advisor who ends up on a board wasn’t there to be recruited.
    — Jennifer Hoffmann, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of recruit
Verb
  • Following Tuesday’s baseline dust-up after a foul on Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson confronted a fan, leading Cloud to take to Threads and smear both the Indiana Fever organization and the spectator.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Sweat glistened on the white foundation smeared across her face.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of smear
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.

Browse Nearby Words

layoffs
lay on
layout
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lay on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20on. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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