sit by

verb

sat by; sitting by; sits by
: to make no effort to stop something bad or unpleasant from happening
I won't sit idly by while he ruins his life!

Examples of sit by in a Sentence

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Nick, meanwhile, got a kick out of the debate that erupted over whether something sitting by the curb should reasonably be considered free. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 While establishing a perimeter for the K-9, a trooper approached a residence on Trask Road and saw two men sitting by a bonfire in the front yard. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026 This is true, my green Plymouth was still sitting by the side of the road, with no tires. — Keith Laing, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 On top of that, the United States sat by helplessly as Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, endangering the entire Gulf economy. — Marc Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sit by

Rhymes for sit by

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Browse Nearby Words

sit bolt upright
sit by
sitch
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Cite this Entry

“Sit by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit%20by. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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