Thesaurus results for WAYLAY

waylay

verb

ˈwā-ˌlā

Definition of waylay

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 waylay Ruff said on Sunday after the Sabres waylaid the Bruins 6-1 in Boston. — ABC News, 26 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 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 After making off with a substantial stack of cash from her job to fund a new life with boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin), she gets waylaid by a rainstorm and stops to spend the night at the Bates Motel, run by awkward mama’s boy Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for waylay

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waylay

Verb

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.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
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.

— Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of ambush

Verb

According to court documents reviewed by The Times, the model alleges that Sandoval shoved her down a flight of stairs in his home, pushed her to the ground at a hotel in Nashville, and attacked her and her father on June 3.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Electing to keep his No 5 on the field, the Brazil head coach made a subtle tactical tweak that saw Endrick enter the action and brought Matheus Cunha further to the left flank — which unlocked the attacking prowess of Vinicius Junior.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of attack

Browse Nearby Words

waylaid

waylay

waylaying

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“Waylay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waylay. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of waylay

verb

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