sit through

Meaning

To sit through something means to stay until the end of an event, performance, or meeting, especially when it is boring, long, or difficult to endure. It carries a slight connotation of patience, endurance, or mild annoyance.

Examples

• I had to sit through a three-hour meeting that could have been an email.

  I had to sit through a three-hour meeting that could have been an email.

• The movie was so boring, but we decided to sit through it anyway.

  The movie was so boring, but we decided to sit through it anyway.

• I don't think I can sit through another one of his long lectures.

  I don't think I can sit through another one of his long lectures.

• She sat through the entire ceremony just to see her brother get his diploma.

  She sat through the entire ceremony just to see her brother get his diploma.

• We had to sit through several terrible opening acts before the main band finally came on stage.

  We had to sit through several terrible opening acts before the main band finally came on stage.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I had to sit out the boring movie.

  ✓ I had to sit through the boring movie.

  'Sit out' means to not participate in an activity. 'Sit through' means to endure and stay until the end of a long or boring event.

• ✗ We sat during the whole presentation.

  ✓ We sat through the whole presentation.

  'Sat during' only describes the physical posture of sitting. 'Sit through' emphasizes the effort of enduring a long or boring event from start to finish.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I can't believe we had to ___ that awful two-hour play.

  💡 To stay until the end of a boring event.

  Show answer

  sit through

• If you can ___ this boring introduction, the rest of the course is actually very fun.

  💡 To endure a long starting segment.

  Show answer

  sit through