sitting
9 synonyms for sitting, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A period of time spent seated doing a particular activity, often in one continuous stretch.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A period of time spent seated doing a particular activity, often in one continuous stretch.
“We watched the whole series in a single sitting last weekend.”
2. adj
Currently holding an official position.
“The sitting mayor opened the new library this morning.”
How to use sitting
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
in one sitting
sitting MP
sitting tenant
sitting president
Etymology
From "sit" plus the suffix "-ing."
Full origin of sitting →Frequently asked questions
What does “sitting” mean?
The word “sitting” means a period of time spent seated doing a particular activity, often in one continuous stretch. In plain terms, a continuous stretch of time doing something seated, a formal meeting session, or (as an adjective) currently in office.
How do you pronounce “sitting”?
“Sitting” is pronounced SIH-tihng (/ˈsɪtɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sitting” in a sentence?
Here is “sitting” used in a sentence: “She read the whole book in one sitting.”
What part of speech is “sitting”?
Depending on how it is used, “sitting” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “sitting” a common word?
“Sitting” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “sitting” have?
“Sitting” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a period of time spent seated doing a particular activity, often in one continuous stretch.
What does 'in one sitting' mean?
'In one sitting' means completing something in a single, continuous session without stopping — for example, reading a whole book or finishing a task in one go. It emphasises that the activity was done straight through, in an unbroken stretch, rather than spread across several separate occasions.
What is a portrait sitting?
A portrait sitting is a session in which a person poses for an artist or photographer while their likeness is captured. Traditional painted portraits often required several sittings over days or weeks, each one a fixed period of the subject staying still for the artist.
What is the difference between a sitting and a session?
The two words often overlap, and both mean a period spent on one activity. 'Sitting' stresses one continuous, unbroken stretch, often literally seated, while 'session' is broader and can span breaks or recurring meetings. You read a book in one sitting but attend a training session.
What is a sitting in parliament?
In government, a sitting is a single occasion on which a parliament or assembly meets to conduct business, from when it convenes until it adjourns. A day's proceedings are often called that day's sitting, and a longer run of these makes up a parliamentary session.
