sit back
/sɪt bæk/
Meaning
This phrasal verb means to relax and get comfortable, often physically leaning back in a chair. It can also mean to deliberately choose not to take action or get involved in a situation, letting things happen on their own. The tone is usually relaxed, but it can sometimes sound passive or indifferent depending on the context.
Examples
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Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
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We can't just sit back and watch them ruin the project.
We can't just sit back and watch them ruin the project.
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After a long week of work, I love to sit back with a good book.
After a long week of work, I love to sit back with a good book.
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You've done enough today—just sit back and let me handle dinner.
You've done enough today—just sit back and let me handle dinner.
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He decided to sit back and see how the market would react before investing.
He decided to sit back and see how the market would react before investing.
Common Mistakes
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✗ I want to sit back myself on the sofa.
✓ I want to sit back on the sofa.
'Sit back' is intransitive and does not take a reflexive pronoun like 'myself'.
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✗ He sat back to the chair.
✓ He sat back in the chair.
Use 'in' or 'on' to describe where you sit back, not 'to'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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You've been working hard all day. Why don't you ___ and let me cook?
💡 Relax and do nothing.
Show answer
sit back
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We can't just ___ and let this disaster happen.
💡 Choose not to take action.
Show answer
sit back