1
: one that sits: such as
a
: a person who sits for a portrait or a bust
Usually commissioned by the sitters themselves, some images straddle the line between individual portrait and genre scene …—
Naomi Rosenblum
Naomi Rosenblum
b
: a person who takes care of someone or something in the place of a parent, owner, etc.
pet sitters
The next time you hire a sitter [=babysitter], remind your daughter what happened the last time and let her know that you are only a phone call away.—John Rosemond
see also house sitter
John Rosemond2
a
: an easy target
a sitter for enemy submarines
b
sports
: an easy scoring or fielding chance
… missed an absolute sitter in the 44th minute to keep the game scoreless.—Jamie Goldberg
Jamie GoldbergSynonyms of sitter
Examples of sitter in a Sentence
They hired a sitter so they could go out.
we'll be going to the movie if we can get a sitter for the kids
Recent Examples on the Web
Many of the old tree sitters — white-haired and brimming with stories of Bari — have come out of the woodwork for the latest battle.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Even shrugging off the disappointment of missing a sitter of a backhand when up break point a couple of points earlier.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 9 May 2026
In the midday heat, the group returns home to nurse the babies and swap sitters for the afternoon.
—Big Think, 8 May 2026
Artists in the 18th century would often include a person of color, who would sometimes be imaginary, in their portraits of wealthy white sitters to embellish the painting and highlight the high status of the main subject, according to the researchers.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sitter
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Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Even shrugging off the disappointment of missing a sitter of a backhand when up break point a couple of points earlier.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 9 May 2026
In the midday heat, the group returns home to nurse the babies and swap sitters for the afternoon.
—Big Think, 8 May 2026
Artists in the 18th century would often include a person of color, who would sometimes be imaginary, in their portraits of wealthy white sitters to embellish the painting and highlight the high status of the main subject, according to the researchers.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sitter
Cite this Entry
“Sitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sitter. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sitter
noun
sit·ter
ˈsit-ər 
: one that sits
especially
: a person who babysits
Biographical Definition
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