1 B2 formal
to sit on top of something
"The cat sat upon the wall in the afternoon sun."
“
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
— Traditional nursery rhyme (modern form uses 'on,' not usually 'upon')
inseparable
sit upon
C1 formal inseparable transitive
to sit on top of something; also a formal variant of some figurative uses of 'sit on'
In plain English
to sit on top of something
What does "sit upon" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic formal
to serve on a committee, court, or similar body
"He was asked to sit upon the advisory board."
inseparable
Usage tip
Mostly literary, formal, or old-fashioned in physical use. Figurative uses are usually replaced by 'sit on' in modern English.
Words that pair with "sit upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
throne chair stone committee judgment
How to conjugate "sit upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sit upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sits upon
he/she/it
Past simple
sat upon
yesterday
Past participle
sat upon
have + pp
-ing form
sitting upon
continuous
Hear "sit upon" in the wild
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Other ways to say "sit upon"
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