lie behind
verb
lay behind; lain behind; lying behind; lies behind
: to be the cause of (something)
Greed lies behind the higher prices.
Examples of lie behind in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the clearest examples of an anti-feminist conspiracy theory that lay behind a neo-Nazi attack, DiBranco said, took place in Norway in 2011.
—
Odette Yousef, NPR, 27 May 2026
That presentiment lies behind the many present expressions of apocalypse.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Another followed China’s WTO entry in 2001, which brought a stampede of US manufacturers, and equally unrealistic expectations of what lay behind the Chinese portal.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 May 2026
Volatiles Celestial geometry and past calamity lie behind this lunar south pole target.
—Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie behind
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Odette Yousef, NPR, 27 May 2026
That presentiment lies behind the many present expressions of apocalypse.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Another followed China’s WTO entry in 2001, which brought a stampede of US manufacturers, and equally unrealistic expectations of what lay behind the Chinese portal.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 14 May 2026
Volatiles Celestial geometry and past calamity lie behind this lunar south pole target.
—Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lie behind
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie behind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20behind. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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