Lay vs. Lie When to Use Lay To lay is to set (or otherwise place) something in a resting position. Here are a few examples of lay in a sentence. I don’t like to lay my purse on the floor. The dogs always lay their toys next to their water bowls. How to Use Lie Share this: Share on X (Opens in new window) X Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Like this:Like Loading... Comments are closed.