Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
👀 To observe ✊ To protest by sitting
to sit in

to sit in

23 3.9
Attend a meeting or class as a visitor, not a regular participant
  • phrasal verb
  • /sɪt ɪn/
translation icon : asistir (como observador)
  • - I'd like to sit in on these meetings.
  • sit in on a meeting
  • sit in on a class

Examples

  • Senator Cordero has asked to sit in with us tonight.

    Deadly Impact (2010)

  • If a project runs into difficulties, she may sit in on a community meeting.

    Academic text (2009)

  • At least let me sit in our meeting.

    'Til There Was You (1997)

  • Mind if I sit in?

    Gifted (2017)

  • I just sat in on your class.

    Red Lights (2012)

  • You might want to sit in on one of the morning demonstrations.

    Blog text (8)

  • I asked some of my colleagues to sit in, if you don't mind.

    North Country (2005)

  • I attended Midwinter and sat in on a program planning meeting to see what was what.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The DEA is working on an investigation which may overlap with my own, so I've asked them to sit in with us today.

    The Fantasticks (2000)

  • I would like to sit in on your presentation about climate change next week.

Synonyms

to attend
vsto sit in
∞ 1.7

To be present at a meeting or event

is used for being a regular or duty-based presence rather than visiting
to sit in on
vsto sit in
27 3.2

To go to a class or meeting to watch and learn without taking part

is present as a visitor rather than a regular participant

Antonyms

to participate
866 2.5

To join in an activity with other people

to engage
676 3.4

To take part in an activity

How Involved

to lead
∞ 1.0
to take part
169 1.4
to sit in
23 3.9
to observe
619 2.4

Surface Forms

sit in infinitive
sitting in present participle
sits in third person singular
sat in past
sat in past participle

Morphology

sit + in

The basic idea of being physically present at an event is derivable from 'sit' (be seated/present) + 'in' (inside/within), so learners could infer it means to attend. However, the specific pragmatic nuance of attending as a visitor/observer (not a regular participant) and the verb+particle construction's specialised use are somewhat idiomatic and not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Sit in has the simple image of someone who sits in a meeting just to watch. Because they are there but do not take part, it means 'to attend as a visitor or observer'.