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
The attention didn’t stop him from wrapping an arm around the WNBA player, who wore a black dress and silver necklace and was sitting by his side.
—
Sam Gillette, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
This global thaw may have sped up the tectonic plate on which much of North America sits by up to 25 percent between 12,000 years and 6,000 years ago.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
The Gachot dog, Slim, sits by a plate of caviar and potato chips.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
Nothing quite compares to the joy of sitting by the beach, breathing in the warm ocean breeze, and basking in the beauty of your surroundings.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sit by
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.
Sam Gillette, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
This global thaw may have sped up the tectonic plate on which much of North America sits by up to 25 percent between 12,000 years and 6,000 years ago.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025
The Gachot dog, Slim, sits by a plate of caviar and potato chips.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2025
Nothing quite compares to the joy of sitting by the beach, breathing in the warm ocean breeze, and basking in the beauty of your surroundings.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sit by
Cite this Entry
“Sit by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit%20by. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share