watch in one sitting

Meaning

This phrase means to watch an entire movie, a whole season of a TV show, or a long video from start to finish without taking a break or stopping. It is a very common expression in the era of streaming services and binge-watching.

Examples

• The new documentary series was so gripping that I had to watch it in one sitting.

  The new documentary series was so gripping that I had to watch it in one sitting.

• I don't have the patience to watch a three-hour movie in one sitting anymore.

  I don't have the patience to watch a three-hour movie in one sitting anymore.

• We ended up watching the entire first season of the show in one sitting last Saturday.

  We ended up watching the entire first season of the show in one sitting last Saturday.

• She prefers to watch video essays in one sitting rather than pausing them.

  She prefers to watch video essays in one sitting rather than pausing them.

• It's almost impossible to watch that complex trilogy in one sitting without getting tired.

  It's almost impossible to watch that complex trilogy in one sitting without getting tired.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I watched the whole season in one sit.

  ✓ I watched the whole season in one sitting.

  The noun form in this idiomatic phrase must be 'sitting', not 'sit'.

• ✗ We watched the movie at one sitting.

  ✓ We watched the movie in one sitting.

  The correct preposition to use with this phrase is 'in', not 'at' or 'on'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• The season finale was so exciting that we had to ___.

  💡 View the whole thing without stopping.

  Show answer

  watch in one sitting

• I rarely have enough free time to ___ a full feature film.

  💡 Watch from start to finish without a break.

  Show answer

  watch in one sitting