sit

1 of 2

verb

ˈsit 

sat ˈsat  ; sitting

intransitive verb

1

a

: to rest on the buttocks or haunches

sit in a chair

—often used with down

b

: perch, roost

2

: to occupy a place as a member of an official body

sit in Congress

3

: to hold a session : be in session for official business

4

: to cover eggs for hatching : brood

5

a

: to take a position for having one's portrait painted or for being photographed

b

: to serve as a model

6

archaic : to have one's dwelling place : dwell

7

a

: to lie or hang relative to a wearer

the collar sits awkwardly

b

: to affect one with or as if with weight

the food sat heavily on his stomach

8

: lie, rest

a kettle sitting on the stove

9

a

: to have a location

the house sits well back from the road

b

of wind : to blow from a certain direction

10

: to remain inactive or quiescent

the car sits in the garage

11

: to take an examination

12

: babysit

13

: to please or agree with one

—used with with and an adverb

the decision did not sit well with me

transitive verb

1

: to cause to be seated : place on or in a seat

—often used with down

2

: to sit on (eggs)

3

: to keep one's seat on

sit a horse

4

: to provide seats or seating room for

see also:

sit on sit on one's hands sit pretty sit tight sit under

sit

2 of 2

noun

1

: the manner in which a garment fits

2

: an act or period of sitting

Synonyms of sit

Verb

• set
• squat
• lounge

Examples of sit in a Sentence

Verb

He was sitting in a chair next to the window.

She sat across from me during dinner.

The children sat cross-legged on the floor playing a game.

Are you going to sit there and watch TV all day?

Don't just sit there—do something!

She walked around the table and sat across from me.

She sat the toddler in the chair.

The cat likes to sit by the window.

The bird sat on the ledge.

The limousine is sitting outside.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The historic bridge presently sits alongside a newer bridge carrying modern traffic into Aspen. — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

And all of this sits within the broader context of how English football manages its finances and shares its money. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Noun

That achievement will matter well beyond this mission, because NASA is scoping out future missions to the lunar South Pole, where water in the form of ice sits locked in craters that haven’t seen sunlight in billions of years. — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026

Investors have the $260 area as their floor, where the 50-day sits and where price spent several weeks building before the July move. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sitten, from Old English sittan; akin to Old High German sizzen to sit, Latin sedēre, Greek hezesthai to sit, hedra seat

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

circa 1628, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing sit

• bed-sit
• not sit with
• rest/sit on one's laurels
• sit about
• sit around
• sit back
• sit bolt upright
• sit by
• sit-down
• sit idly by
• sit-in
• sit in judgment
• sit in on
• sit on
• sit on one's hands
• sit out
• sit pretty
• sit shiva
• sit still
• sit through
• sit tight
• sit under
• sit-up
• sit up and take notice of

Rhymes for sit

• bit
• brit
• britt
• chit
• fit
• flit
• grit
• hit
• it
• kitt
• knit
• lit

Kids Definition

sit

verb

ˈsit

sat

ˈsat

; sitting

1

a

: to rest on the buttocks or haunches

sit in a chair

b

: to cause to be seated

sit yourself down

c

: perch entry 2 sense 2, roost

2

: to provide seats or seating room for

the car sits five people

3

: to occupy a place as a member of an official body

sit in Congress

4

: to hold a session

the court is now sitting

5

: to cover eggs for hatching : brood entry 2 sense 1

6

: to pose for a portrait or photograph : serve as a model

7

: to lie or rest in a condition or location

the vase sits on the table

8

: to remain inactive

the car sits in the garage

9

: babysit

Legal Definition

sit

intransitive verb

sat; sitting

1

: to occupy a place as a member of an official or formal body

sit in Congress

sit on a board of directors

2

: to hold a session : conduct official business

the court sits in the state capital