lie behind

phrasal 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

Tonge reveals the complex religious dynamics that lie behind the AKP’s hold on political power and the deep, immensely varied religious commitments that survived attempts by twentieth-century reformers to separate religion and politics. —Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

This raised serious questions about the real cost of chasing lower fees without understanding what lies behind the index funds. —James Brewer, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

The ancient records don’t give a name, and Shinto is a form of animism that believes in countless gods that lie behind the forces of nature. —Martin Fackler, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

Austin gained nearly 60,000 residents between 2023 and 2024. Between the lines: International migration lies behind this latest population spike. —Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for lie behind

• countersigned
• disinclined
• humankind
• interlined
• intertwined
• mastermind
• misaligned
• nonaligned
• predefined
• realigned
• reassigned
• recombined

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.