squat

verb

\ ˈskwät

squatted; squatting

Definition of squat

(Entry 1 of 3)

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

2a : 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

adjective

squatter; squattest

Definition of squat (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : sitting with the haunches close above the heels

2a : low to the ground

b : marked by disproportionate shortness or thickness

squat

noun

Definition of squat (Entry 3 of 3)

1a : the act of squatting

b : the posture of one that squats

2a : a place where one squats

b : the lair of a small animal the squat of a hare

3a : 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

Other Words from squat Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about squat

Keep scrolling for more

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

Thomas describes a client who complained of upper-back pain when squatting with a barbell, even when using a pad on the bar. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "What Is the Bulgarian Bag? All About Halle Berry’s New Favorite Strength Training Tool," 6 Mar. 2019 Say, isn’t squatting just another term for trespassing? — Stu Bykofsky, Philly.com, "To Germantown widow, trespassing means squat | Stu Bykofsky," 1 June 2018 The singer posted a snap of him squatting at what looks like the same park while someone in a floral dress and white sneakers stands in the background. — Isabel Greenberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "A Timeline of Justin Bieber & Hailey Baldwin's Pre-Proposal Romance," 18 June 2018 The feeling escalated as the armed militants protested federal regulations regarding public lands by squatting for 41 days inside the headquarters of the federal bird refuge. — Kathy Aney, The Seattle Times, "Composer celebrates Malheur Refuge," 13 Jan. 2019 Jump squats Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. — Philly.com, "A cardio circuit for people who hate running," 26 June 2018 For strength training, think about compound movements—deadlifts, squats, presses—doing 4 to 6 sets of between 8 and 15 reps. — Clay Skipper, GQ, "Want to Get Back in Shape? 5 Tips to Keep You From Quitting (or Hurting Yourself)," 6 June 2018 Immortalized in Johnson’s book The RBG Workout, the workout reportedly involves Ginsburg breezing through pushups, planks, and squats. — Julia Belluz, Vox, "Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s incredible ability to bounce back," 14 Dec. 2018 Perform squats at a 1-2 down and a 1-2 up tempo for 10-20 repetitions. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stepping up your training can boost your heart, lower-body muscles," 11 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Things go okay, at least until I’m asked to squat while holding a rod behind my head. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "What Happened When I Trained With Air Force Human Performance Specialists," 12 Feb. 2019 Reposition your legs so that your feet land in sumo (wide) squat position. — Yolanda Edwards, Condé Nast Traveler, "Super Trainer Kayla Itsines on Staying in Shape at 35,000 Feet," 23 July 2018 And therein lies the problem, as there is no world burpee confederation to say what is and isn’t a real burpee, also known as a squat thrust. — Allyson Chiu, ajc, "Woman says she broke burpee world record. Why many disagree," 8 May 2018 The purpose of the upzonings was to lure in developers to tear down old squat buildings and build shimmering residential towers in the sky — exactly what the Showbox-destroyers are proposing to do. — Danny Westneat, The Seattle Times, "With the Showbox, we’re all NIMBYs now," 15 Aug. 2018 Men circle appraisingly, then squat down, their faces hidden by broad-brimmed hats, to negotiate. — Tom Downey, WSJ, "Exploring Madagascar Is Now Easier Than Ever," 18 July 2018 For various exercises, participants lean forward, backward or squat into the bands and are given both lift and resistance. — New York Times, "The Resistance," 23 May 2018 Side Shuffle to Get Up Do for: 90 seconds alternating sides Do it: Start with feet at shoulder-width distance in quarter squat. — Emily Abbate, Esquire, "A 5-Step New Year's Workout Plan Any Guy Can Crush," 2 Jan. 2018 From a standing position, squat down and jump your feet back into a plank position. Complete a push-up. — Allyson Chiu, ajc, "Woman says she broke burpee world record. Why many disagree," 8 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Many famous lifters have unusual form; Layne Norton, a two-time national champion powerlifter, has a famously weird squat. — Casey Johnston, SELF, "Ask a Swole Woman: How Sore Should I Be After Lifting Weights?," 1 Mar. 2019 Pull out your liquid liner, pop a squat in front of the mirror, and follow along for their tips on how do winged eyeliner right. — Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "Exactly How to Do Winged Eyeliner, According to Celebrity Makeup Artists," 31 Jan. 2019 The design team sketched out a squat, wide crossover with sporty lines and an aggressive end, and sent the engineers off to build it. — Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, "2019 Chevy Blazer Test Drive: What Happened When GM Tried To Make the Crossover Cool," 4 Feb. 2019 In any case, the Rotax V-twin has enough punch that a thumb-full of throttle causes the rear end to squat on its independent suspension and the front to nose skyward like a boat climbing on plane. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "Can-Am's Outlander DPS 650 Is the Do-Anything ATV," 10 Jan. 2019 Perform 2-4 sets of grapevine and squats resting 30-60 seconds between sets. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stepping up your training can boost your heart, lower-body muscles," 11 July 2018 Toney, 32, stood outside the door to her apartment in Brookland Manor, a squat and sprawling Depression-era apartment complex in Northeast Washington that houses more than 1,000 mostly low-income tenants. — Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, "Ben Carson’s plan to raise rent for poorest Americans would have ‘severe’ impact on District, experts say," 19 June 2018 There’s also a Lou Lou Ghost (a mini Louis Ghost Chair for children, naturally), a Charles Ghost (a backless stool), a Ghost Buster (a squat bookshelf), and several other plastic relatives. — Maggie Burch, House Beautiful, "Why The Transparent Plastic Ghost Chair Is An Icon Of Modern Furniture Design," 14 Nov. 2018 Without breaking your squat, quickly punch your right arm our and across your body and then bring it back to chin level. — Jenny Mccoy, SELF, "Here's How to Do Octavia Spencer's Low-Impact Cardio Workout," 4 Oct. 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.