sit-in

1 of 2

noun

1
2
a
: an act of occupying seats in a racially segregated establishment in organized protest against discrimination
b
: an act of sitting in the seats or on the floor of an establishment as a means of organized protest

sit in

2 of 2

verb

sat in; sitting in; sits in

intransitive verb

1
: to take part in or be present at a session of music or discussion as a visitor
often used with on
invited to sit in on a rehearsal
2
: to participate in a sit-in

Examples of sit-in 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.
Noun
One March 2024 protest saw a student sit-in that resulted in four students and one reporter arrested. Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2025 It was created after a 1973 sit-in, Erickson wrote, at which protesters called for the college to create a space on campus for Indigenous students to organize. Cleo Krejci, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
In a September 15 TikTok video posted by user @belmelly, a dog sat in the backseat of a vehicle, agitated and barking nonstop. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 On Wednesday, highs for the San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco are all projected to sit in the mid- to high 60s. Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sit-in

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sit-in was in 1936

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sit-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit-in. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

sit-in

noun
ˈsit-ˌin
: an act of sitting in seats or on the floor (as in a restaurant or office) as a means of organized protest

More from Merriam-Webster on sit-in

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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