Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
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.

See Examples For:

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

He felt he had two options: "Go to the police and say, 'I'm in the Interpol system,'" and risk arrest or lie low.

From BBC Jan. 25, 2026

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

She would have no choice but to lie low.

From "Burning Blue" by Paul Griffin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training