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
Blackwood, with her firsthand knowledge of drafty manors and unhinged families, explains with remorseless precision what lies behind the fantasy—what happens when the houses, and the people in them, are neither charismatic nor lovable.
—
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
What obscure motive lay behind this one?
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Shops lie behind the façades and the items on sale inside are even in-keeping with the theme.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for lie behind
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.
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 10 June 2026
What obscure motive lay behind this one?
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Shops lie behind the façades and the items on sale inside are even in-keeping with the theme.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
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
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 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
