catch napping

idiom

: to suddenly put (someone) in a position of being unprepared to deal with a situation because of not paying attention
When the problem appeared again, the government was caught napping.

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Cite this Entry

“Catch napping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%20napping. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.

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