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
In contrast, there are about 17,000 sit-in Starbucks stores across the United States. Vivek Astvansh, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025 One March 2024 protest saw a student sit-in that resulted in four students and one reporter arrested. Angele Latham, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
According to the outlet, Sears was airlifted to a hospital following injuries sustained in the crash, while a juvenile passenger sitting in the back was also taken for medical treatment. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 Over the next 20 minutes, everyone in the room sits in disbelief at the situation destined to unfold. Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 27 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sit-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sit-in. Accessed 1 Nov. 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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