babysit

verb

ba·​by·​sit ˈbā-bē-ˌsit 

babysat ˈbā-bē-ˌsat  ; babysitting

intransitive verb

: to care for children usually during a short absence of the parents

broadly : to give care

babysit for a neighbor's pets

transitive verb

: to babysit for

She babysits her grandchildren.

broadly : mind, tend

babysit house plants

police babysitting a witness

babysitter noun

Examples of babysit in a Sentence

She babysits their kids on Saturday nights.

Recent Examples on the Web

The mother, unaware of the complaints against Mastrangelo, had hired him to babysit. —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025

However, a few weeks later, the new-mom reached back out to her as if nothing had happened, asking her to babysit her son for free. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025

Joe can’t babysit Dane and Louise because Maddie has called him with a 911. —Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025

At this age, kids can do their own laundry, cook complete meals, babysit younger siblings, and manage personal budgets. —Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from babysitter

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Kids Definition

babysit

verb

ba·​by·​sit ˈbā-bē-ˌsit 

babysat -ˌsat  ; babysitting

: to care for children usually while the parents are away for a short time

babysitter noun