as in to fasten
to attach (a rope) to something so that it is secure
The climber belayed the rope.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of belay
Like rock climbing, the sport entails a rope system — known as belaying — but differs in substantive ways.
—
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2024
While one person climbs, another waits below (or above) and belays them.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2024
Invented by climbing brand Petzl in 1991, a grigri is an assisted belay device, which helps beginners who are just learning to belay and climb.
—Popular Science, 19 June 2020
This heavier duty paracord can come in handy for suspending heavy items in trees, belaying a person, or hauling something with your truck.
—Tom Price, Popular Mechanics, 30 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for belay
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2024
While one person climbs, another waits below (or above) and belays them.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2024
Invented by climbing brand Petzl in 1991, a grigri is an assisted belay device, which helps beginners who are just learning to belay and climb.
—Popular Science, 19 June 2020
This heavier duty paracord can come in handy for suspending heavy items in trees, belaying a person, or hauling something with your truck.
—Tom Price, Popular Mechanics, 30 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for belay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belay
Verb
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Queen Letizia fastened a diamond and grey pearl brooch that once belonged to King Felipe VI’s great-grandmother, Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
20 Feb. 2025
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In one video shared on Snapchat, passenger Ashley Zook appeared to dangle upside down from her seat inside the plane with her seatbelt fastened, AFP reported.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In 2024, Maryland tied for No. 128 nationally in sacks and tied for 71st in tackles for loss.—
Grace Raynor,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
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The Trump administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Just clip them in, style them as needed, and voilà—instant cool-girl bangs with zero regrets.—
Allure,
Allure,
24 Feb. 2025
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When a truck carrying Mr. Nasrallah’s coffin entered the stadium, the crowd erupted in shrieks and cries as the voice of the former Hezbollah leader — clipped from his speeches — echoed from speakers.—
Christina Goldbaum,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The final stretches of the race saw Friesen almost clinching victory, only for Busch to secure the win with a precise side draft.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
23 Feb. 2025
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The Wolverines tried to steal the inbounds pass, but Stokes sneaked behind the defense and dunked to clinch it.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
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After Moss had pinned the man against the cooler for about eight seconds, the officer threw him to the ground.—
Josh Wood,
The Courier-Journal,
18 Feb. 2025
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In the month since the Trump administration began its purge of federal workers, opponents fighting DOGE in court have been pinning their hopes of stopping the world’s richest man on a 50-year-old law.—
Eric Geller,
WIRED,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Moments after an emphatic two-handed jam in the closing seconds that sealed Sherman Oaks Notre Dame’s 68-61 upset of Harvard-Westlake on Friday night in Studio City, Tyran Stokes clenched both fists, turned toward his teammates and screamed at the top of his lungs.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2025
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Manchester City striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw clenched her right fist and raised her arm into the air.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
The Athletic,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Kimberly, who was injured during the initial attack, managed to save Maranda by strapping her in the backseat of the couple's truck.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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There, in a section of old-growth forest that’s not open to tourists, she emotionally strong-arms two ecological researchers into strapping her into a harness and taking her up into the canopy with them.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Belay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belay. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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