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
In a blog post in May, when Texas was debating its law, the group argued that app store age verification wasn’t by itself enough.
—
David Ingram, NBC news, 31 July 2025
Asserting a breach of contract claim against Blige individually is by itself sanctionable.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 July 2025
For many of the giants in today’s tech and innovation sector, technology is by itself the solution to everything.
—Rob Day, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
To speed the process, the county decided to forego federal funding and finance the project by itself.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for by itself
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David Ingram, NBC news, 31 July 2025
Asserting a breach of contract claim against Blige individually is by itself sanctionable.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 July 2025
For many of the giants in today’s tech and innovation sector, technology is by itself the solution to everything.
—Rob Day, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
To speed the process, the county decided to forego federal funding and finance the project by itself.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 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 20 Aug. 2025.
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