by itself

phrase

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 existence of a complaint followed by a firing does not by itself establish why the employer made its decision. — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

His release from detention does not, by itself, erase the underlying immigration proceedings or his removal order. — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

Not as a selling plan by itself, but as the first layer in a better prioritization system. — Samuel Darwin, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Full self-navigation, where the robot maps your home and goes looking for your dog by itself, remains on the company's roadmap and will not be included in the first units. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for by itself

• ourself
• bookshelf
• herself
• himself
• hisself
• meself
• myself
• nonself
• oneself
• thyself
• yourself
• elf