# lieu

/ˈɫju/ (US) · /lˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lieu
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. in place of

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the place or position of something else — used in the phrase 'in lieu of' to mean 'instead of'.

For teachers: the place or stead of something else; functions as the head of the prepositional phrase 'in lieu of'.

- The company gave the employees extra holiday time in lieu of a cash bonus.
- The court ordered the defendant to perform community service in lieu of a fine, citing his lack of financial resources.

Usage: Almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase 'in lieu of'.

Teaching tip: Learners should treat 'in lieu of' as a single unit meaning 'instead of'. It is very common in business English regarding 'time in lieu' (extra time off instead of pay).

## Examples

- They gave us extra holiday in lieu of pay.
- The company offered the employees stock options in lieu of a traditional cash bonus this year.
- The architect suggested using recycled timber in lieu of concrete to reduce the building's carbon footprint while maintaining a warm, organic aesthetic.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.