1 B1 idiomatic neutral
to choose not to take part in an activity and wait for it to end
"I twisted my ankle, so I'll sit out the next match."
“
He sat out the war.
— Common biographical/historical phrasing; exact source not recalled
both
sit out
B1 neutral both transitive/intransitive
to remain seated and not take part until something is over
In plain English
to stay out of an activity and wait until it finishes
What does "sit out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to stay in a place until something unpleasant or difficult has finished
"We decided to sit out the storm in the cabin."
both
3 B1 neutral
to remain seated instead of dancing during a piece of music
"She sat out the slow songs because she was tired."
both
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to sit until the outside event finishes
Actually means
to stay out of an activity and wait until it finishes
Usage tip
Very common with dances, games, wars, and difficult periods. Can be literal or figurative.
Words that pair with "sit out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
dance game election storm injury season
How to conjugate "sit out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sit out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sits out
he/she/it
Past simple
sat out
yesterday
Past participle
sat out
have + pp
-ing form
sitting out
continuous
Hear "sit out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "sit out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "sit out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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