Foil
Foil noun - A piece of thin and flexible sheet metal.
Lay figure and foil are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Lay figure" instead a noun "Foil".
Lay figure
Lay figure noun - One that is or can be used to further the purposes of another.
Usage example: the novel's characters are not fully fleshed humans, but are simply lay figures strutted out to serve as mouthpieces for conflicting points of view
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Synonyms for Lay figure
Foil and lay figure are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Foil" instead a noun phrase "Lay figure".
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Lay figure and Foil. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 02, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/foil/lay_figure
Foil & Lay figure. N.p., 2016. Web. 02 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/foil/lay_figure>.
Lay figure or Foil. 2016. Accessed August 02, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/foil/lay_figure.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "foil" and "lay figure" have occurred on timeline