by itself
idiom
1
: without being directly controlled by a person : automatically
The computer shuts off by itself if you haven't used it for a while.
The sprinkler will turn on by itself.
2
: with nothing nearby : alone
The house stood by itself at the end of the street.
Examples of by itself in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The finishing by itself has been remarkable.
—
Sukhman Singh, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The doctrine instructs that an erroneous fact in a story is not, by itself, sufficient for a defamation claim.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2025
The sauce by itself is great, but the shell-on shrimp transform it with a wonderfully bright and salty depth.
—Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025
In this environment, debt by itself no longer guarantees returns.
—Amachie Ackah, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
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Sukhman Singh, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
The doctrine instructs that an erroneous fact in a story is not, by itself, sufficient for a defamation claim.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2025
The sauce by itself is great, but the shell-on shrimp transform it with a wonderfully bright and salty depth.
—Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025
In this environment, debt by itself no longer guarantees returns.
—Amachie Ackah, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for by itself
Cite this Entry
“By itself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20itself. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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