lie in wait
idiom
: to hide and wait for the right moment to make an attack
The killer may have been lying in wait for him.
—sometimes used figurativelyNo one knows what lies in wait for us in the coming year.
Examples of lie in wait in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The drama kicks off when one of the young islanders journeys to the mainland, where uncomfortable truths lie in wait.
—
Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
But hidden dangers lurk in each of these sanctuaries — treacherous storms, slippery rock faces and swift river currents all lie in wait for the unwitting, unprepared or unlucky explorer.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
What other treasures lie in wait to be discovered on the other side?
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2025
And that is Chinese government's prepositioning on American civilian critical infrastructure to lie in wait on those networks to be in a position to wreak havoc, and can inflict real-world harm at a time and place of their choosing.
—CBS News, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in wait
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Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
But hidden dangers lurk in each of these sanctuaries — treacherous storms, slippery rock faces and swift river currents all lie in wait for the unwitting, unprepared or unlucky explorer.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
What other treasures lie in wait to be discovered on the other side?
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2025
And that is Chinese government's prepositioning on American civilian critical infrastructure to lie in wait on those networks to be in a position to wreak havoc, and can inflict real-world harm at a time and place of their choosing.
—CBS News, 12 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in wait
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Cite this Entry
“Lie in wait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20in%20wait. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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