sit-in

1 of 2

noun

1
2
a
: an act of occupying seats in a racially segregated establishment in organized protest against discrimination
b
: an act of sitting in the seats or on the floor of an establishment as a means of organized protest

sit in

2 of 2

verb

sat in; sitting in; sits in

intransitive verb

1
: to take part in or be present at a session of music or discussion as a visitor
often used with on
invited to sit in on a rehearsal
2
: to participate in a sit-in

Examples of sit-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At a sit-in outside the chancellor's office in February, students demanded the library be renamed and that the school end study abroad trips to Israel. Journal Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2024 At a time when Mississippi was one of the most dangerous places in the South for African Americans and civil rights workers, Ms. Ladner joined and led marches and sit-ins, mounted voter registration drives, and helped organize events including the 1963 March on Washington. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 In response, angry residents launched a sit-in at a clock tower; regime soldiers massacred them, leaving the asphalt streaked with blood. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Law and Justice legislators and supporters staged a sit-in, protesting new management’s takeover. Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024 The one-man sit-in mushroomed in the weeks after the attacks. Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024 Although there was disappointment with the agreement to end the sit-in, the mood was generally calm among the remaining protestors. Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024 She was first arrested at age 13 for joining sit-ins in Louisville that eventually led city leaders to grant equal access to all public accommodations in 1963. The Courier-Journal, 12 Feb. 2024 In cities around the country protesters set fire to government buildings, blocked roads with overturned vehicles and flaming barricades, looted buildings and attempted to stage a sit-in in front of the prime minister’s office. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024
Verb
In the trailer, Drake Bell is seen walking onto screen and sitting in a chair for the interviewers to talk to him. Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Mar. 2024 Castro is sitting in his living room, wearing a black snapback, a matching black turtleneck, and two chunky statement rings to complement the diamond bracelet and silver watch on his wrists. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024 Calling in on Zoom from her new home in Nashville, Brown sits in front of a wooden bookshelf full of colorful reads that automatically capture her love for the literary world. Bryce Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2024 Trucks sit in miles-long lines at every checkpoint and are forced to start over if even one item inside is rejected. Gaya Gupta, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Why? At a hearing on Jan. 16 to finalize the sentence, Clark addressed Vieyra, who sat in a wheelchair next to Lee. Cindy Chang, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Though Sabzian ended up in court (and actual footage of the trial is shown), for Kiarostami, the Supreme Court is cinema—an art that sits in judgment of all, including the judges, and that gets to a fuller truth than the law can. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024 Tiger, the house cat, shows up, sitting in Josh Brolin’s lap. Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 10 Mar. 2024 Our testing parent observed that this compact set allowed toddlers to maneuver in and out on their own and was a perfect fit for her 14-month-old to sit in comfortably. Samantha McIntyre, Parents, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sit-in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sit-in was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near sit-in

Cite this Entry

“Sit-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit-in. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sit-in

noun
ˈsit-ˌin
: an act of sitting in seats or on the floor (as in a restaurant or office) as a means of organized protest

More from Merriam-Webster on sit-in

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