squatted; squatting
1
: to crouch close to the ground as if to escape observation
a hare squatting in the grass
2
a
: to assume or maintain a position in which the body is supported on the feet and the knees are bent so that the buttocks rest on or near the heels
squatted by the campfire
b
: to exercise by performing a squat (see squat entry 3 sense 3a)
3
: to be or become a squatter
squat in an abandoned building
squatter; squattest
1
: sitting with the haunches close above the heels
2
a
: low to the ground
b
: marked by disproportionate shortness or thickness
squatly
adverb
squatness
noun
2
a
: a place where one squats
b
: the lair of a small animal
the squat of a hare
3
a
: an exercise in which a standing person lowers to a position in which the torso is erect and the knees are deeply bent and then rises to an upright position
Note: A squat can be done while holding weights, with a barbell on the upper back, or without weights.
b
weight lifting
: a lift involving a squat done while holding a barbell on the shoulders
also
: a competitive event involving this lift
4
chiefly British
: an empty house or building that is occupied by squatters
5
slang
: diddly-squat
Examples of squat in a Sentence
Verb
He squatted behind the bush to avoid being seen.
A family has been squatting in that house for months.
Adjective
a short, squat woman
Noun
He didn't do squat all day.
She lives in a squat.
Recent Examples on the Web
C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 12 May 2025
By the end of the piece, the old queen is squatting once more, deep like a tree trunk, her limbs shaking.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Where the big diesel engine would normally sit is a squat platform that not only has storage potential for produce or gear, but its low profile affords the driver a better view from the cabin.
—Paul Ridden
may 14, New Atlas, 14 May 2025
Jennifer Steinhoff, Verywell Health, 14 May 2025
The squat is a full-body move that improves your stability and can be done without any equipment.
—Jancee Dunn, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for squat
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.
Verb
The former Maryland standout squatted 665 pounds and power cleaned 365, according to Feldman.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 12 May 2025
By the end of the piece, the old queen is squatting once more, deep like a tree trunk, her limbs shaking.
—Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The club’s coach, Enas Ahmed, herself a former Olympic wrestler, ran the girls through takedown drills and conditioning exercises, including back arches, push-ups, crab-walk sprints, lunges and squat thrusts.
—Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Where the big diesel engine would normally sit is a squat platform that not only has storage potential for produce or gear, but its low profile affords the driver a better view from the cabin.
—Paul Ridden
may 14, New Atlas, 14 May 2025
Noun
Pause and do some push-ups or squats along the way.
—Jennifer Steinhoff, Verywell Health, 14 May 2025
The squat is a full-body move that improves your stability and can be done without any equipment.
—Jancee Dunn, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for squat
Cite this Entry
“Squat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squat. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
squat
1 of 3 verb
squatted; squatting
1
: to sit or cause (oneself) to sit on one's heels
2
: to occupy land as a squatter
3
: to crouch close to the ground
a hare squatting in the grass
squat
2 of 3 noun1
: the act of squatting
2
: a squatting posture
squat
3 of 3 adjective
squatter; squattest
1
: being in a squatting posture
2
: low to the ground
3
: being short and thick
squatly
adverb
squatness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share