babysit
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to take watchful responsibility for (a child).
We're looking for someone to babysit the kids in the evening.
-
to take watchful responsibility for; tend.
It will be necessary for someone to babysit the machine until it is running properly.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of babysit
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Parents who have family support nearby said that they saved about $1,915 per year on childcare by having willing grandparents babysit their kids or having family help buy groceries.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
On a Saturday, I will happily get up at 6 a.m. with coffee to babysit yeasted cinnamon rolls or start whisking hollandaise.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
Though her “Spike Cafe” is about a year old, she says she has to “continue to babysit it,” as pigeons aren’t exactly known for their tidiness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026
We were so out of control that a lot of older kids’ parents didn’t allow them to babysit us.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
“You can both come or you can babysit David.”
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
Yesterday, we babysat our granddaughter while our daughter and her husband went out to lunch to celebrate her birthday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
Well, first of all, the version of “Mary Poppins” that babysat millions of us wouldn’t exist.
From Salon ● Dec. 13, 2025
As a high-schooler in the 1950s, Kay Washburn babysat for 50 hours to afford her $25 dream dress.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
Berkeley City Councilmember Ben Bartlett said Harris once babysat him when she was in junior high while he spent time at his aunt’s house in Oakland.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2024
Now and then, even after they had kids, some of her parents’ friends had gone dancing on Saturdays while somebody babysat their kids.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
She earns £10 an hour babysitting, which she said had gone towards her £30 lessons alongside help from her parents.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Rachel said all of her friends her age either give their kids money or give them substantial nonfinancial help, like babysitting the grandchildren regularly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Her version: "He needs somebody there for him 100 percent of the time ... That's not love, it's babysitting."
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
A parent who refuses to share basic caregiving responsibilities places an unfair and unrealistic burden on the other partner — and on you, if you are spending time babysitting while he is upstairs.
From MarketWatch ● May 4, 2026
“Yeah. Yesterday was sort of a tryout. Today I’m babysitting for real.”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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