as in to watch
to take care of a child while the child's parents are away
She babysits their kids on Saturday nights.
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Recent Examples of babysit
The officer said animals seem to come with Yreka CHP’s territory; officers had to babysit a python and a tarantula while on duty last year.
—
Monica Garske, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Her aunt agreed to watch the baby for $180 a week, but the mom still ended up taking the baby out with her on deliveries and asking her older kids to babysit often.
—Julie Z. Weil, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2026
Kyle’s the other living who can see the ghosts, who comes to babysit them every now and then.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025
Alex has the world’s most lovably supportive parents (Christine Ebersole and Ciarán Hinds), who are delighted to babysit at the drop of a hat or the booking of a last-minute gig.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for babysit
Monica Garske, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Her aunt agreed to watch the baby for $180 a week, but the mom still ended up taking the baby out with her on deliveries and asking her older kids to babysit often.
—Julie Z. Weil, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2026
Kyle’s the other living who can see the ghosts, who comes to babysit them every now and then.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 18 Dec. 2025
Alex has the world’s most lovably supportive parents (Christine Ebersole and Ciarán Hinds), who are delighted to babysit at the drop of a hat or the booking of a last-minute gig.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for babysit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for babysit
Verb
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When the Red Sox won the series finale, Bogaerts stood alone in the visitors’ dugout watching his former teammates celebrate their win, and tipped his cap to Cora and Rafael Devers.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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Those fans watched the Twins fall behind early as Ober was tagged for a pair of runs in the first inning and one more in the fourth before his departure.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Perhaps pasta or pizza with cheese is so comforting because we’re literally being mothered by flowering plants and bovines?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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One way to combat that, as a gardener, is to start plants by seed instead of buying plants that someone else has started, watered and mothered for months.—
Henry Homeyer,
The Providence Journal,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The brothers were each two years apart in age, but younger siblings were never babied; Nick recalled being on the receiving end of numerous pummelings by his older brothers.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
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Each new piece was crafted to be simple, functional, and beautiful, giving parents peace of mind and babies a nurturing space to grow.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Babysit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/babysit. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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