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
By comparison, the eyes and nostrils in modern crocodiles sit higher on the skull, enabling them to lie in wait for prey while keeping most of the body underwater.
—
Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Unlike modern crocodiles, which lie in wait to grab and drown their pray, this beast possessed the kind of build and the dentition for tackling animals head-on and tearing through hide and flesh.
—New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
They are known for being ambush predators who lie in wait until their prey comes along, usually feasting on small mammals or birds.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
The horrors that lie in wait are those of a bracingly straightforward revenge picture, a B-movie shoot-’em-up, in which Yoshii’s enemies, neatly lined up in the film’s first half, are methodically armed and unleashed in the second.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in wait
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Unlike modern crocodiles, which lie in wait to grab and drown their pray, this beast possessed the kind of build and the dentition for tackling animals head-on and tearing through hide and flesh.
—New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
They are known for being ambush predators who lie in wait until their prey comes along, usually feasting on small mammals or birds.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
The horrors that lie in wait are those of a bracingly straightforward revenge picture, a B-movie shoot-’em-up, in which Yoshii’s enemies, neatly lined up in the film’s first half, are methodically armed and unleashed in the second.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lie in wait
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lie in wait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lie%20in%20wait. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share