Meaning & Origin

The proverb let sleeping dogs lie dates back to at least the 14th century—Chaucer used a version of it in The Troilus and Criseyde. The image is simple: wake a resting dog and you might get bitten. Metaphorically, reviving past conflicts can create new problems, so the safest course is to leave them undisturbed.

Pronunciation Guide

Say it smoothly as LET SLEEP‑ing DOGS LIE: /lɛt ˈsliːpɪŋ dɔɡz laɪ/. Keep a slight stress on sleep and dogs.

Usage & Sentence Examples

• The merger was rocky, but things are stable now—let’s let sleeping dogs lie.
• He considered suing, then decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
• If the client isn’t complaining, I’d let sleeping dogs lie and avoid extra revisions.

Synonyms

• leave well enough alone
• keep the peace
• let it be
• don’t rock the boat
• avoid stirring the pot