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 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 Keep your birdbath away from fences or shrubbery, where a neighborhood cat or other predators can lie in wait and pounce. —

Amy Wilkinson, SELF, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for lie in wait

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lie in wait.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.