sit by

phrasal verb

sat by; sitting by; sits by

: to make no effort to stop something bad or unpleasant from happening

I won't sit idly by while he ruins his life!

Examples of sit by in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As a result, Petras would spend most days sitting by herself, listening to music and spritzing MAC Cosmetics’ Fix Plus Makeup Setting Spray on her face. —Jackie Fields, Peoplemag, 29 May 2024

Imagine a kindly grandfather-type figure sitting by an open hotel window, staring out at the sea on the French Riviera. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2024

Caregivers in this situation are not just players sitting by the bedside, as in a hospital setting. —Jessica Kim, Fortune, 21 May 2024

Gary sat by himself and observed the pulverization, thinking, for some reason, of his father. —Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024

And there's always sitting by the pool or on your back porch, gazing at the exuberant green, and listening to the sounds of the jungle. —Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2024

For his 27th birthday on April 30, Louis Risher spent the day sitting by his fiancée Maddy Baloy’s bedside, watching her sleep. —Lizzie Hyman, Peoplemag, 11 May 2024

Come evening, indulge in culinary activities or simply sit by the firepit at your lodge and enjoy a quiet evening sipping hot toddies under the stars. —Sunset Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024

Shortly after that exchange, council members started to get up and leave the meeting, leaving Owens sitting by herself at the council table. —Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 19 Apr. 2024