sit

SIT/sɪt/

Formssits, sitting, sat

Often confused with set

21 meanings of sit

Practice

1
be seatedverbintransitive
To rest your weight on your bottom with your back upright, or to move into that position.
He can sit still for a long time without getting bored.
The cat sat quietly on the warm windowsill all afternoon.
Oppositestand, rise
2
verbintransitive
To be in a certain place or spot.
Tall buildings sit along the edge of the river.
The old house sits at the top of the hill.
UsageSay where: the house sits on a hill.
Similarstand, lie, perch, rest
3
verbintransitive
To stay in one place or state without being moved or used.
Let the soup sit for a few minutes before eating.
The car sat in the garage all winter.
UsageOften followed by how or how long: the letters sat unopened.
Similarlie, languish, remain, rest
4
be a memberverbintransitive
To be a member of a group that makes decisions.
Several parents sit on the school board.
He sits on the town council.
UsageSay sit on a committee, but sit in parliament.
Similarserve
5
be in sessionverbintransitive
When a court or lawmaking group meets to carry out its official work.
The judges sit until late afternoon on busy days.
The court sits in the old stone building downtown.
UsageThe court is the subject: the court sits on Mondays.
Similarconvene, meet
Oppositeadjourn, recess
Note
6
verbUStransitive or intransitivesportsus
To keep a player from playing in a game or from starting it, or of a player, to miss a game.
The coach decided to sit his best pitcher tonight so he could rest his arm.
Our top scorer sat the last game because of a sore knee.
UsageA coach sits a player, and a player sits (or sits out) a game.
Similarbench, rest
Oppositestart (entry)
7
rest onverbintransitive
To rest or press down on something with weight.
Like a heavy backpack pressing down on your shoulders.
All winter the wet snow sat heavy on the old barn roof.
Guilt sat heavily on him for weeks after the argument.
UsagePeople say a worry sits heavily on someone.
Similarweigh, rest, lie, press
Note

Less common meanings

8
be acceptableverbintransitive
To be accepted by someone, or to feel right.
The plan sits well with most of the team.
His apology just didn't sit right with her.
UsagePeople usually say something sits well with or doesn't sit well with someone.
Similarfit, accord
Oppositeclash, conflict
9
seat someoneverbcausativetransitive
To put someone in a seat or help them sit down.
Sit the baby in the high chair, please.
She sat the toddler on her lap.
UsageYou sit someone somewhere: sit the guests at the front.
Similarseat, place
10
childcareverbUStransitive or intransitive
To take care of someone's children while they are away.
Can you sit for us on Friday night?
She sits for the neighbors every weekend.
UsageSay sit for a family, or just babysit.
Note
11
take an examverbAustraliaNew ZealandUKtransitive
To take part in and complete a test or exam.
Students sit their final exams in June.
She sat her driving test last week.
UsageSay sit an exam. In other places people say take an exam.
Similartake
12
hatch eggsverbintransitive
To cover eggs with the body and keep them warm until they hatch, as a hen does.
Like a warm blanket spread over the eggs to keep them cozy.
The hen will sit on her eggs for about three weeks.
Our duck has been sitting on a clutch of eggs all week.
UsageSay a hen sits on her eggs.
Similarbrood
13
seated breaknouncountable
A period of time spent sitting down.
Like taking a quick break to rest your legs.
After the long hike, we stopped for a sit on a flat rock.
She likes a quiet sit in the garden before breakfast.
Similarrest
14
fitverbintransitive
To fit or rest on the body in a certain way, as clothes do.
Like a lid that fits just right on a jar.
This coat sits well on your shoulders.
The dress will sit better once we take in the waist.
UsageSay a jacket sits well, or trousers sit low.
Similarfit, hang
Note
15
verbintransitive
To pose so that an artist can paint, draw, or photograph you.
She agreed to sit for a portrait.
The king sat for the famous painter.
UsageSay sit for a painter or sit for a portrait.
Similarpose, model
16
have seats forverbtransitive
To have enough seats for a number of people.
The new hall can sit five hundred guests.
Our dining table sits eight people comfortably.
UsageSay a table sits six, or seats six.
Similarseat, hold, accommodate
Note
17
endureverbobsoletetransitive
To stay seated and take a blow or hardship bravely, without backing down.
Note
18
state of thingsnouncolloquialabbreviationclipping
Clipping of situation: how things stand right now, used in short work or army messages.
Note
19
meditationnounrarecountable
A meditation event, often a full day or longer, where people mainly sit and meditate together.
Like a quiet day spent sitting still with others to calm the mind.
She signed up for a weekend sit at the local meditation center.
The monastery holds a daylong sit every month.
Note
20
wind directionverbintransitive
To be in a certain position, or to point in a certain direction.
Sits the wind in that quarter?
1815, [Walter Scott], Guy Mannering
like a good miller that knows how to grind, which way soever the wind sits
1689, John Selden, Table Talk
Note
21
noun
A sinking or caving-in of the roof in a coal mine.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of sit apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English "sittan," going all the way back to an ancient root meaning "sit."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Sit derives from Old English sittan. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry ultimately reaches an ancient root meaning sit. en.wiktionary.org