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 figuratively

No 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

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Anti-tank teams must lie in wait, patiently track targets as far as 1.5 miles away, fire a missile and then flee—fast. —

David Axe, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 The cartels, experts in violence, exploitation and evading the law, lie in wait. —

Onkar Ghate, Orange County Register, 1 Sep. 2024 The robot can go to a location and lie in wait for an extended period. —

David Hambling, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024 Welcome to your June 2024 horoscope: this is the best month for random Googling, exploring your options, and making time for the interesting detours that lie in wait just beyond the highway exits. —

Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for lie in wait