sit on

The phrase "sit on" is versatile and used in various contexts to indicate restraint, membership, or inaction.

🇺🇸 US Voice:

🇬🇧 UK Voice:

Definition

B2General

(informal, idiomatic)To delay or postpone taking action on something.

Example

He decided to sit on the report until he had more information.

B2Organizational

(formal, idiomatic)To serve as a member of a group, such as a committee or board.

Example

She was invited to sit on the advisory panel.

B2Communication

(informal, idiomatic)To suppress or withhold information.

Example

The company was accused of sitting on critical safety data.

C1Interpersonal

(informal, idiomatic)To restrain someone from taking action or speaking.

Example

He had to sit on his friend to stop him from making a scene.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "sit on":

sit upon sit in sit with sit under sit for sit on it sit over sit down sit right take a seat sit back sit still have a seat sit out pop a squat sitting pretty stand on sit up sit on one's hands plop down stand in sit up with pull up a chair stand with take the bench lay on take a back seat stay on lie down get on rest on stand up