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

Founding and leading such a prominent magazine for so long would, by itself, be an enormous accomplishment for anyone. —Terry W. Hartle, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2025

Israel’s advanced air force lacked the range and secure lines of transit to sustain a large volume of strikes deep into Iran by itself. —Sebastien Roblin, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

And on albums such as Pet Sounds, Wilson’s lavish, orchestral production techniques dramatically expanded the sonic palette of rock ‘n’ roll and showed how the recording studio could be an instrument by itself. —Gavin Edwards, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025

Hiring Vrabel was a big step in the right direction by itself. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025

Rhymes for by itself

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