lay up

verb

Definition of lay upnext
as in to store
to put (something of future use or value) in a safe or secret place an eating disorder that would impel her to lay up candy bars in her closet for all-night food binges

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 up Females mate only once in their 10–30-day lifespan but can lay up to 3,000 eggs. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026 The neo-bluegrass musician took to social media Monday to post photos of himself laid up in a hospital bed, along with multiple X-rays of the nuts and bolts now holding his leg together. — Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026 McIlroy twice made birdie on the par 5s after laying up from the trees. — Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026 Summit's Javon Ross (33) lays up a ball as Lovejoy's Maddox Johnson (2) defends in the second half of a high school basketball game, Class 5A Division II state semifinal, at SUM’s Moody Coliseum, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in University Park. — Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lay up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay up
  1. store
  2. lay in
  3. stash
Verb
  • Older adults can also lose height and experience changes in where fat is stored.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Most teas can stay relatively potent for up to two years if they’re stored properly in an airtight container, away from sunlight and moisture, say Jamila and Alfonso Wright, co-founders of Brooklyn Tea.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of store
Verb
  • Tim Curry’s magic lay in his ability to be outrageous without being self-conscious, Tom Nichols writes.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But Fosdick’s real radicalism lay in his insistence that Scripture was not static or inerrant but needed to be read in the context of an evolving culture and country.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lay in
Verb
  • Accessed by some steps between the bathroom and bedroom, it's shown here furnished with a couple of single beds but could alternatively be used to stash belongings or as a kid's room or general hangout space.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This cake is best the day after it’s made, so prep it the night before and stash it in the fridge.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of stash

Browse Nearby Words

lays up
lay up
laze
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lay up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay%20up. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All