squat

verb \ ˈskwät \

|Updated on: 13 Aug 2018

Examples: squat in a Sentence

Definition of squat

squatted; squatting

transitive verb

1 : to cause (oneself) to crouch or sit on the ground

2 : to occupy as a squatter

squat in an abandoned building

intransitive verb

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 ³squat 3a)

3 : to be or become a squatter

See squat defined for English-language learners

See squat defined for kids

Examples of squat in a Sentence

He squatted behind the bush to avoid being seen.
A family has been squatting in that house for months.

Recent Examples of squat from the Web

Many ended up homeless and resorted to squatting in a park across from the Central Bus Station.

— brian goldstone, The New Republic, "Essential reporting, interpretation, and opinion on politics and culture. Don't miss our latest.," 26 June 2018
Surveillance video of the incident posted on YouTube on Wednesday showing the woman verbally berate the employee before squatting on the floor and defecating.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Woman Caught on Camera Defecating on Floor of a Tim Hortons and Throwing Feces at an Employee," 17 May 2018
One of the plaintiffs in the suit says their home was targeted by thieves who were squatting in a neighboring home owned by Bank of America.

— jeff andrews, Curbed, "Housing advocates sue Bank of America for alleged neglect of black neighborhoods," 27 June 2018
The city estimates that people are squatting in about 70 buildings in the downtown area, with untold hundreds of other buildings occupied throughout the rest of the city.

— jill langlois, latimes.com, "They squatted in a government building in Brazil for years. Then they lost everything," 4 June 2018
Perform a total 2-4 sets of step sumo squats and bench dips, resting 30-60 seconds between sets.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stepping up your training can boost your heart, lower-body muscles," 11 July 2018
The Governor, wearing pale chinos and a dark windbreaker, watched a worker demonstrate the magnetic wand, then squatted and ran the instrument under a rail flange himself.

— william finnegan, The New Yorker, "Can Andy Byford Save the Subways?," 2 July 2018
For those who were not, Moshe squatted in front of them and did the deed to them himself, one by one.

— jeff truesdell, PEOPLE.com, "4 Things You’ll Learn About the Murderous Nation of Yahweh on People Magazine Investigates: Cults," 22 June 2018
The trust isn’t squatting on the team, but it is charged by Pat Bowlen to determine when there is a son or daughter ready and capable to take over.

— albert breer, SI.com, "Dolphins Reset, Patriots Regroup, NFL Recharges," 4 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'squat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of squat

Middle English squatten to crush, crouch in hiding, from Middle French (Picard dialect) esquatir, escuater, from Old French es- ex- + quatir to hide, from Vulgar Latin *coactire to squeeze, alteration of Latin coactare to compel — more at cache

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First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

squat Synonyms

Synonyms

couch, crouch, huddle, hunch, hunker (down), scrunch, squinch;

Related Words

curl up;

squat

adjective

Definition of squat

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

See squat defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of squat from the Web

A decade ago, the squat stone structure was the only sign of life in an industrial tract down by the rail yards.

— justin davidson, Daily Intelligencer, "Downtown Nashville Is Supposed to Be the Model of the Walkable 21st-Century City. I’m Not So Sure.," 8 June 2018
Elsewhere in the neighborhood, the Boston Housing Authority recently completed the first phase of plans to replace the squat brick structures in the Orient Heights development with modern townhouses and apartment buildings.

— laura crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, "With or without Amazon, Orient Heights development has some residents worried," 13 May 2018
Dry land practice involves getting into a quasi-squat position—similar to Chair pose in yoga—with your knees bent, your hips facing forward and pushed back, your head in line with your shoulders, and your core braced.

— jenny mccoy, SELF, "All About Log Rolling, the Unique Sport That’s Much Tougher Than It Looks," 8 May 2018
Another caller the same month said Leiva and Barron made the children squat for long periods.

— garrett therolf, latimes.com, "Anthony Avalos was extensively tortured over days before dying, prosecutors allege," 4 July 2018
Slowly squat down deep, keeping your heels planted and knees out.

— julie mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "Cool Down as the Temperatures Heat Up With This Pool Workout — No Backstroke Required," 3 July 2018
The immigrants walked single-file into a squat gray building at the country's military base to be processed back into their country, along with dozens of others also deported.

— colleen long, The Christian Science Monitor, "Families reunited, then deported to Guatemala," 12 July 2018
The squat monstrosity had a spring-lever arm to launch clay disks, replicating a bird’s flight.

— liz arnold, Longreads, "Making Peace with the Site of a Suicide," 11 July 2018
Try quick total-body movements, such as squat rows or rotational presses at 30-60-second intervals for a great cardiovascular challenge.

— jason wanlass, idahostatesman, "Embrace the benefits of resistance tubing for a well-rounded workout," 22 June 2018

First Known Use of squat

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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squat Synonyms

Synonyms

chunky, dumpy, heavyset, squatty, stocky, stout, stubby, stumpy, thickset;

Near Antonyms

delicate, fragile, frail, puny;

lean, skinny, slender, slim, spare, thin;

angular, bony (also boney), gaunt, lank, lanky, rawboned, sinewy;

scraggy, scrawny, slight;

spindly, twiggy, waspish, weedy, willowy, wiry;

chubby, heavy, plump, portly, pudgy, roly-poly, rotund, round, tubby;

squat

noun

Definition of squat

1 a : the act of squatting

b : the posture of one that squats

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

See squat defined for English-language learners

Examples of squat in a Sentence

He didn't do squat all day.
She lives in a squat.

Recent Examples of squat from the Web

Hinge back at the hips into a squat, reaching your arms out in front of your body.

— Philly.com, "A cardio circuit for people who hate running," 26 June 2018
Then reach down to the floor, bending at the knees for a narrow squat (e).

— NBC News, "A 10-minute cardio workout you can do at home," 28 Feb. 2018
His bests are 315 pounds on the the bench (there is a pause once the bar hits the chest), 555 in the squat and 651 in the dead.

— richard obert, azcentral, "After 2 football ACL tears, Casteel's Luke Musselman finds records in powerlifting," 5 July 2018
The room was hot and sweaty and smelled like feet, and Red Bull skydiver Jeff Provenzano was struggling to hold a squat on tiptoe.

— jacqueline detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "This Pro Skydiver Was Invincible—Until his Heart Stopped Beating Regularly," 22 June 2018
Students claimed they were required to perform squats or pushups in front of the class.

— sonali kohli, latimes.com, "Fired Pico Rivera teacher bullied students, saved pictures of nude women on class computer, report says," 18 Apr. 2018
The White House Boys, as a group of grown men now call themselves — kept one of the institution's most shameful secrets for half a century: what was done to them inside a squat, dark, cinder-block building called The White House.

— carol marbin miller, miamiherald, "A painful reunion at school of horror," 11 July 2018
During another commercial, try for 15 body-weight squats and 10 toe touches.

— mike candelaria, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Got 5 minutes? You have time to exercise," 11 July 2018
Slowly descend into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor, while keeping your arms straight in front of you.

— jason wanlass, idahostatesman, "Embrace the benefits of resistance tubing for a well-rounded workout," 22 June 2018

First Known Use of squat

1580

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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SQUAT Defined for English Language Learners

squat

verb

Definition of squat for English Language Learners

: to bend your knees and lower your body so that you are close to your heels or sitting on your heels
: to live in a building or on land without the owner's permission and without paying

squat

adjective

Definition of squat for English Language Learners

: short and thick

squat

noun

Definition of squat for English Language Learners

: a position in which your knees are bent and your body lowered so that you are close to your heels or sitting on your heels
: the least amount : anything at all
: an empty building that squatters live in

SQUAT Defined for Kids

squat

verb \ ˈskwät \

Definition of squat for Students

squatted; squatting

1 : to crouch by bending the knees fully so as to sit on or close to the heels

2 : to settle without any right on land that someone else owns

3 : to settle on government land in order to become its owner

squat

adjective

Definition of squat for Students

squatter; squattest

1 : low to the ground

2 : having a short thick body

squat

noun

Definition of squat for Students

: a position in which the knees are fully bent and the body sits on or close to the heels

Learn More about squat

See words that rhyme with squat Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for squat Spanish Central: Translation of squat Nglish: Translation of squat for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of squat for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about squat

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squat

Definition of squat

Examples of squat in a Sentence

Recent Examples of squat from the Web

Origin and Etymology of squat

squat Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

squat

Definition of squat

squatly

squatness

Recent Examples of squat from the Web

First Known Use of squat

squat Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

squat

Definition of squat

Examples of squat in a Sentence

Recent Examples of squat from the Web

First Known Use of squat

SQUAT Defined for English Language Learners

squat

Definition of squat for English Language Learners

squat

Definition of squat for English Language Learners

squat

Definition of squat for English Language Learners

SQUAT Defined for Kids

squat

Definition of squat for Students

squat

Definition of squat for Students

squat

Definition of squat for Students

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