sit by

phrasal verb

sat by; sitting by; sits by
: to make no effort to stop something bad or unpleasant from happening
I won't sit idly by while he ruins his life!

Examples of sit by in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
People who appear to be homeless sitting by a fire. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 1 Aug. 2025 To the left, a pink child’s dollhouse sits by the wall—reminders of the child who had once lived there. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025 While fat was demonized as the nutrient causing weight gain in the 1990s, followed by carbs in the 2000s, protein sat by the sidelines as the official people pleaser of the macro-nutrient world. Reyna Gobel, NPR, 19 July 2025 Fans were quick to point out what appears to be Thompson relaxing in the background of one of the vacation shots, sitting by the pool. Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sit by

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Cite this Entry

“Sit by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit%20by. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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