# lightning strike

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/lightning-strike
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A (sometimes unofficial) strike by workers with little or no warning.

## Examples

- The workers held a lightning strike to protest their low pay.
- Management was caught off guard when the factory staff organized a lightning strike this morning without any prior notice.
- The sudden lightning strike paralyzed the city's transport network, leaving thousands of commuters stranded as the union bypassed formal negotiations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.