sit-in

1 of 2

noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Google fired 28 employees who staged sit-in protests at the company’s offices in New York and California, some of whom were also arrested during the demonstrations. Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 22 Jan. 2025 In December, trans rights activists with the Gender Liberation Movement (GLM) including Raquel Willis, Chelsea Manning, and more than a dozen others were arrested during a bathroom sit-in protest across from Johnson’s office decrying the bathroom ban. Samantha Riedel, Them, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
Around mid-July, the two of them were talking on the phone while Jesse sat in his house in Redding. Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 26 Jan. 2025 Her parents Kathy and Kelly Caudill, of Knox, sat in the gallery to watch their daughter being sworn in. Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sit-in 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1936, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sit-in was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near sit-in

Cite this Entry

“Sit-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit-in. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on sit-in

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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