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
To avoid using too much water and seeing your utility bills skyrocket, Manfredini recommends adding a water timer that helps get the right amount of water on the lawn and turns off by itself.
—
Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
Fennel isn't a good companion for most garden vegetables and should be grown in a little patch or pot by itself.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
The baby's probably been there by itself for at least a week.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
Eurydice may have even been dwarfed by itself, since in 2021 it was turned into an opera, with a libretto by Ruhl and a score by Matthew Aucoin, and staged at the Met, making the original non-operatic version seem somewhat slight.
—Pamela Newton
june 24, Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for by itself
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Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
Fennel isn't a good companion for most garden vegetables and should be grown in a little patch or pot by itself.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
The baby's probably been there by itself for at least a week.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
Eurydice may have even been dwarfed by itself, since in 2021 it was turned into an opera, with a libretto by Ruhl and a score by Matthew Aucoin, and staged at the Met, making the original non-operatic version seem somewhat slight.
—Pamela Newton
june 24, Literary Hub, 24 June 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 7 Jul. 2025.
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