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
b
3
: session
a sitting of the legislature
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
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023
The photo His Majesty chose was captured at Buckingham Palace on October 16, 1968, as part of an official sitting granted to Cecil Beaton.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2023
Other people look for a bench seat where there are no seams, but those tend to bow up, and people don't always like them for everyday sitting.
—Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 11 July 2023
Their last sitting? 1968—or, the very photo Buckingham Palace released today.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2023
The volume of The Complete Essays was in no need to be finished in one sitting, or within a specific time frame.
—Yiyun Li, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2023
Saxton, however, preferred sitting in a café with a glass of wine sketching castles.
—Lyndi McNulty, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2023
Crafting a medium-sized bread requires several hours of sitting, bent over, and painstakingly creating the designs with small sticks.
—Rebecca Hall, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Aug. 2023
Nearby, the primary bedroom sports a fireplace and sitting area, an ensuite bath, and sliding doors that open to a saltwater swimming pool.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2023
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
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Noun
Parents shouldn’t expect to discuss this topic in one sitting.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2023
The photo His Majesty chose was captured at Buckingham Palace on October 16, 1968, as part of an official sitting granted to Cecil Beaton.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2023
Other people look for a bench seat where there are no seams, but those tend to bow up, and people don't always like them for everyday sitting.
—Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 11 July 2023
Their last sitting? 1968—or, the very photo Buckingham Palace released today.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2023
The volume of The Complete Essays was in no need to be finished in one sitting, or within a specific time frame.
—Yiyun Li, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2023
Saxton, however, preferred sitting in a café with a glass of wine sketching castles.
—Lyndi McNulty, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2023
Crafting a medium-sized bread requires several hours of sitting, bent over, and painstakingly creating the designs with small sticks.
—Rebecca Hall, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Aug. 2023
Nearby, the primary bedroom sports a fireplace and sitting area, an ensuite bath, and sliding doors that open to a saltwater swimming pool.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2023
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
See More
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
Phrases Containing sitting
Dictionary Entries Near sitting
Cite this Entry
“Sitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sitting. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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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
b
3
: session sense 1
sitting of the legislature
sitting
2 of 2 adjective
: used in or for sitting
a sitting position
More from Merriam-Webster on sitting
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sitting
Nglish: Translation of sitting for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of sitting for Arabic Speakers
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