1 B1 idiomatic neutral
to spend time sitting somewhere without doing anything useful or active
"We can't just sit around all weekend; let's go out and do something."
inseparable
sit around
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
to spend time sitting and doing very little
In plain English
to stay sitting and not do much
What does "sit around" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
to stay somewhere waiting for something to happen, often for longer than you want
"I sat around for two hours before the doctor could see me."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to remain seated in one place or in different nearby places
Actually means
to stay sitting and not do much
Usage tip
Often has a slightly negative tone, suggesting laziness, boredom, or waiting without purpose.
Words that pair with "sit around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
all day the house doing nothing waiting home the office
How to conjugate "sit around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sit around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sits around
he/she/it
Past simple
sat around
yesterday
Past participle
sat around
have + pp
-ing form
sitting around
continuous
Hear "sit around" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "sit around" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "sit around"
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Keep exploring
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