squat

1 of 3

verb

squatted; squatting

transitive verb

1
: to cause (oneself) to crouch or sit on the ground
2
: to occupy as a squatter

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 squat entry 3 sense 3a)
3
: to be or become a squatter
squat in an abandoned building

squat

2 of 3

adjective

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

squat

3 of 3

noun

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

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. Noun He didn't do squat all day. She lives in a squat.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In this photo, the rapper squats down looking over his shoulder and down at his arm, which is now almost fully covered in ink. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Faces turned away, gripping the basket handles, and squatting down as we near the ground. Branded Content Contributor, Orange County Register, 8 Jan. 2024 Brahim is squatting directly in front of him at his head with his hand holding firmly onto the halter close to his mouth, bringing his head low to the sand. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Jan. 2024 The judges said the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment prohibits cities from arresting or imposing penalties on homeless people for squatting on public property if there aren’t enough shelter beds for every vagrant. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2024 In 2011, David Zellner released Sasquatch Birth Journal 2, a short film that observed the hairy creature giving birth while squatting on a tree. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2024 Try 3-5 weight slams while squatting and jumping from each side of the gym. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 6 Feb. 2024 Armstrong had dropped out of high school, squatting in various punk warehouses around the East Bay until the band took off. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024 Standing birth can encompass a few positions, including lunging and squatting or leaning onto your partner for support. Tonya Russell, Parents, 15 Oct. 2023
Adjective
For nearly a century, The Original Mexican Eats Cafe called this squat building at 4713 Camp Bowie Blvd. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 Two immense towers, which looked as though they’d been erected from squat blocks of cookie dough, loomed above her. David Owen, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 By 1958, the restaurant needed a larger space and moved into its current location, a squat white building with a red tile roof two blocks away, on the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Fulton Avenue. Bill Esparza, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 In downtown Boston, much of the life sciences infrastructure is clustered within the Seaport District, which until just a few years ago was largely parking lots and squat industrial buildings. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 Aiyuk blossomed physically, increasing his squat lifts from 250 to 500 pounds in two years. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024 Lower your hips into a squat, bend your knees, and keep your back flat. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 30 Jan. 2024 Its squat presence was supposed to deter crime, and its communication abilities would provide a way for straphangers in distress to seek help. Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 It’s capped by a squat stone cabin used by the University of California scientists. Paul McHugh, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2024
Noun
Upon shifting into a squat and lining up behind the plate, though, the catcher’s tone changed. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 Shiko is another foundational element to sumo [slow leg lifts, done one leg at a time with a bent knee, before slowly lowering the leg down and moving into a squat, according to USA Sumo]. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 Herewith, discover the Oscar Winner and The Brothers Sun star’s secrets for skin care squats and a radiant, 10-minute makeup look. Jenny Berg, Vogue, 17 Jan. 2024 Here’s how to find out: Put on the leggings, bend into a deep squat, and note whether the material around your glutes remains opaque. Hannah Dylan Pasternak, SELF, 7 Feb. 2024 Planks, pushups, lunges, squats and pointers can all build strength, and regular stretching can cultivate flexibility. Danielle Friedman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2024 In your actual training, adding quad-strengthening exercises to your routine (think squats and leg extensions) can help protect your patellar tendon from future trouble. Lauren Del Turco, Health, 6 Feb. 2024 The retired tennis star's latest video features her executing barbell squats at a lighter weight than usual. Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 27 Jan. 2024 Another option: Perform it as part of a full-body strength routine that includes moves like the bench press, deadlift, and squats to hit a bunch of different muscle groups across your body. Jenny McCoy, SELF, 17 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of squat was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near squat

Cite this Entry

“Squat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squat. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids 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 noun
1
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on squat

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