by itself
idiom
1
: without being directly controlled by a person : automatically
The computer shuts off by itself if you haven't used it for a while.
The sprinkler will turn on by itself.
2
: with nothing nearby : alone
The house stood by itself at the end of the street.
Examples of by itself in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wear it over a long-sleeve shirt, or by itself, and choose from eight classic colors, including beige, khaki, and navy blue.
—
Gabriella Maestri, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2024
The image might be by itself as the source content, or the AI might accept both a prompt as text and an accompanying image.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Considered by itself, the impossibly endearing HBO comedy from co-creators Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, alongside star and executive producer Bridget Everett, is exactly the type of show that could go on forever.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
This is a pretty remarkable deal for a one-of-a-kind fitness tracker that started a whole product category all by itself.
—Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by itself 
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Gabriella Maestri, Travel + Leisure, 12 Dec. 2024
The image might be by itself as the source content, or the AI might accept both a prompt as text and an accompanying image.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Considered by itself, the impossibly endearing HBO comedy from co-creators Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, alongside star and executive producer Bridget Everett, is exactly the type of show that could go on forever.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Dec. 2024
This is a pretty remarkable deal for a one-of-a-kind fitness tracker that started a whole product category all by itself.
—Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for by itself
Dictionary Entries Near by itself
Cite this Entry
“By itself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20itself. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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