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Synonyms

lie low

Idioms  

  1. Also lay low. Keep oneself or one's plans hidden; bide one's time to act. For example, The children lay low, hoping their prank would soon be forgotten, or The senator decided to lay low until his opponent had committed herself to raising taxes. This expression calls up the image of a hunter concealed in the brush, waiting for game. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After a newsworthy mishap, his agent advises him to lie low, which is impossible for him to do; there is no itch he won’t scratch, and no good advice he’ll actually follow.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

But now there's been a "tactical" decision by some in the community to "lie low".

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2025

If you’re hiking with a group, and are within a few hours of help, your best bet may be to lie low.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2023

You'd think that if Santos had any common sense, he'd lie low and try to weather the storm.

From Salon • Feb. 9, 2023

The boy had been uneasy when he saw how close Dustfinger's chosen hiding place was to the village, but Dustfinger had explained why there couldn't be anywhere safer to lie low among the surrounding hills.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.