leave (someone) in the lurch
idiom
: to leave (someone) without help or protection when it is needed
His advisers left him in the lurch when he needed them the most.
Examples of leave (someone) in the lurch in a Sentence
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This can leave in the lurch patients who have conditions that don’t get that much attention.
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Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024
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Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Leave (someone) in the lurch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leave%20%28someone%29%20in%20the%20lurch. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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