Meaning
“Sit back” means to relax and not make an effort, or to stay passive in a situation instead of taking action. It often implies letting others do the work or not interfering.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Phrasal verb
- Verb type: Intransitive (does not take a direct object)
- Typical pattern: sit back and + verb
- Used to describe physical relaxation (sit back in a chair) or metaphorical passivity (sit back and do nothing).
Common Phrases
- Sit back and relax
- Sit back and watch
- Sit back and enjoy
Collocations
- sit back + in a chair
- sit back + comfortably
- sit back + and do nothing
- just sit back + and watch
Examples
- After finishing her work, she sat back and enjoyed a cup of tea.
- Don’t just sit back and complain—do something about the problem!
- He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes.
- I like to sit back and watch the sunset.
- You can sit back and relax while we take care of everything.
- She sat back and let her teammates handle the discussion.
- He sat back comfortably, waiting for the show to start.
Synonyms or Related
- relax
- lean back
- take it easy
- unwind
Antonym
- get involved
- take action
- step in