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:
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
Jean Hanlon had been due to babysit a child with learning disabilities in Crete and when she didn't turn up alarm bells rang.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
One thing is clear: These lounges aren’t designed solely to babysit restless kids.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 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
“A day or two. I’m old enough to babysit Boo, though, so you know. No big deal.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
Yesterday, we babysat our granddaughter while our daughter and her husband went out to lunch to celebrate her birthday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
“My mom had to work, so I stayed with my grandparents and watched TV, and when I was 12 or 13, I babysat for a few different families.”
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
Later, she babysat and washed dishes for an academic couple in exchange for room and board.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026
Once, he babysat for Dreyer’s 3-year old daughter and upon finding out she loved school buses, set out to stop one in the street in order to give her a ride.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2025
“Because I don’t need nobody thinkin’ I gotta be babysat or somethin’.
From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds
In his acceptance speech, Kano thanked his mum, "for babysitting right now".
From BBC ● May 21, 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
Happily, you appear to be helping them with babysitting duties while your son-in-law plays the piano on an upper floor.
From MarketWatch ● May 4, 2026
“And so it does have to go from like, ‘Oh, you’re the manny’ to waking up to each other as something other than this transactional thing with you babysitting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
"Donna wants me to go to some wedding," he said, "and I told her you would probably watch Matt. Thought you might like some babysitting money."
From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
