sit-in

1 of 2

noun

ˈsit-ˌin 

1

: sit-down sense 1

2

a

: an act of occupying seats in a racially segregated establishment in organized protest against discrimination

b

: an act of sitting in the seats or on the floor of an establishment as a means of organized protest

sit in

2 of 2

verb

sat in; sitting in; sits in

intransitive verb

1

: to take part in or be present at a session of music or discussion as a visitor

—often used with on

invited to sit in on a rehearsal

2

: to participate in a sit-in

Examples of sit-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Now 28, Brown recalled his part in activism to keep the school open, including sit-ins at City Hall, holding news conferences and delivering an education plan to the U.S. Department of Education. —Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025

On March 13, almost 100 protesters were arrested during a sit-in at Trump Tower in downtown New York City. —Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025

Verb

This box has triple odor control, with a sealed waste bin; an odor eliminator attachment that sits in the waste bin; and a smart, citrusy deodorizing spray that goes off after every cleaning and randomly throughout the day to ensure the litter box stays fresh. —Simon Hill, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025

Although a stack of books sat in front of him, only a few people had stopped by to chat, purchase a book and get a copy signed As Stanley sat there, Taylor Dinelli, who was shopping at the store with her 4-year-old daughter, Ella, noticed the author sitting alone. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sit-in

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin
• pinyin

Kids Definition

sit-in

noun

ˈsit-ˌin

: an act of sitting in seats or on the floor (as in a restaurant or office) as a means of organized protest