sit out
Britishverb
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(tr) to endure to the end
I sat out the play although it was terrible
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(tr) to remain seated throughout (a dance, etc)
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US and Canadian term: hike out. (intr) to lean backwards over the side of a light sailing boat in order to carry the centre of gravity as far to windward as possible to reduce heeling
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Also, sit through . Stay until the end of, as in We decided to sit out the lecture instead of leaving early , or He was only eight when he sat through an entire opera—and it lasted nearly five hours . [Early 1700s]
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Refrain from taking part in, as in Jane's foot hurt so she sat out the last three dances . [Mid-1600s]
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Outlast, outstay, as in He sat out all the other guests, hoping to get a word alone with the host . [Mid-1700s]
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.
“We can’t just sit out in perpetuity, and I won’t,” he said in 2024.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
Suiting up for four different high schools would be impossible in most of the country, thanks to state interscholastic rules that can require transfer students to sit out a year of competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
“We’ve seen consumer confidence slide as the Iran conflict drags on, and that could have both buyers and sellers choosing to sit out the spring home-buying season,” said Kate Wood, a housing expect at NerdWallet.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 13, 2026
Enzo Fernandez will sit out Chelsea's next two games after he "crossed a line" with comments he made about his future at the club, says manager Liam Rosenior.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026
All the kids played, you could sit out on your porch all night long.
From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones
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.
