Thesaurus results for WAYLAYS

waylays

verb

present tense third-person singular of waylay

as in ambushes

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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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 waylays These are the chapters that feature the merry trickster of the forest, Tom Bombadil, a classic fiddle-dee-dee-mischief type who waylays the hobbits at the onset of their quest. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waylays

Verb

All seems lost when a group of Stormtroopers ambushes the crew, but IG-11 heroically sacrifices himself to save them.

— Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
Thurman stars as The Bride, left for dead after her former boss and lover Bill ambushes her wedding rehearsal, shooting her in the head and stealing her unborn child.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Nov. 2025

Definition of ambushes

Verb

Republican rival Rick Jackson has spent heavily portraying Bottoms’ Atlanta mayoralty as a failure, focusing on crime and 2020 protests — attacks some supporters say carry racial and gender overtones.

— Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Back in 2023, Stevens revealed he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome—a rare auto-immune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves—and was working to relearn how to walk and use his hands.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of attacks

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waylaying

waylays

way-out

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“Waylays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waylays. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of waylays

verb

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