sitting

1 of 2

noun

sit·​ting ˈsi-tiŋ How to pronounce sitting (audio)
1
a
: the act of one that sits
b
: a single occasion of continuous sitting (as for a portrait or meal)
2
a
: a brooding over eggs for hatching
3
: session
a sitting of the legislature

sitting

2 of 2

adjective

1
: that is setting
a sitting hen
2
: occupying a judicial, legislative, or executive seat : being in office
3
: easily hit or played
a sitting target
4
a
: used in or for sitting
a sitting position
b
: performed while sitting
a sitting shot

Examples of sitting in a Sentence

Noun I got through the book in one sitting. He finished the portrait in one sitting. We'll eat at the second sitting. We have reservations for the 5:30 sitting. Adjective a sitting member of Parliament
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The serving size for many brands of breakfast cereal, for instance, is often only one cup, but many people eat two or three cups in a single sitting. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024 French doors lead out to a stunning courtyard garden with a fountain and sitting areas, which also can be accessed from the living room. David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 10 Apr. 2024 That’s when Herman Miller brought on the American designer Bill Stumpf, who’d worked with medical experts while doing postgraduate research at the University of Wisconsin to conduct studies on ideal sitting posture that incorporated X-rays and time-lapse photography. Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024 In October 2019, the pregnant worker provided a doctor’s note to request an accommodation with her store manager to take short sitting breaks, officials wrote in the complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2024 The flowing, relaxed fit will never leave me feeling restricted after long hours of sitting, however, the sleek and flattering fit of this piece means that it can be easily dressed up or down, upping its value in my suitcase. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024 The photograph shows the royal sitting in a chair as her three children are gathered around her. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 The original is currently in its fifth week on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, where’s its sitting at No. 18. Katie Bain, Billboard, 9 Feb. 2024 This comes just in time for Taurus Season to begin, an annual high season for music festivals, gallery hopping, park sitting, good eating, and fine wining. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Read our piece from December 2021 on whether Trump — or a non-sitting House member — could really be the next House speaker. Amanda Kaufman, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Jan. 2023 In Mississippi, where the sitting Republican governor is term-limited, Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood is running against Republican Lt. Tim Craig, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2019 With the stalemate, the sitting Republican governor, Morgan G. Bulkeley simply stayed in office for two more years. Gideon Cohn-Postar, The Conversation, 1 Nov. 2019 For a while, the sitting Republican governor, Matt Bevin, looked eminently deposable. I.k. | Lexington, The Economist, 1 Nov. 2019 Another favorite among our testers, the Deluxe has a wide and broad sitting area that doesn't pinch or press into your hammies, shoulders, or hips. James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, 11 June 2019 Blessed be the person who can fall asleep sitting upright while wrapped in a flimsy layer of polyester blanket that only covers approximately 1/3rd of the length of their legs. Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Mar. 2018 Outside, the 16,107-square-foot La Villa Contenta has more sitting areas for relaxation, work and watching the tots play. Cara Zimmerman, Harper's BAZAAR, 26 June 2017 The pattern of Catalonia supporting a losing side in a war, and paying through the nose for it, continued as right-wing fascist forces under the direction of General Francisco Franco sought to usurp the sitting Republican government in 1936. Kate Keller, Smithsonian, 25 June 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sitting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sitting was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near sitting

Cite this Entry

“Sitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sitting. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

sitting

1 of 2 noun
sit·​ting
ˈsit-iŋ
1
: an act of one that sits
especially : a single occasion of continuous sitting
finished the portrait in one sitting
2
a
: a brooding over eggs for hatching
3
: session sense 1
sitting of the legislature

sitting

2 of 2 adjective
: used in or for sitting
a sitting position
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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