by itself

phrase

1
: without being directly controlled by a person : automatically
The computer shuts off by itself if you haven't used it for a while.
The sprinkler will turn on by itself.
2
: with nothing nearby : alone
The house stood by itself at the end of the street.

Examples of by itself in a Sentence

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Slow handling or a simple disagreement, by itself, won’t count as bad faith; the statute draws that line deliberately. — Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026 Failure by itself did not create an advantage, but previous performance still contained useful information about what a founder might do next. — Bernardo Saraiva, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 But the idea that fine adaptations of great books need to be stopping points, rather than springboards, is alarming by itself. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 Wool has a show up at the Brite Building in downtown Marfa until 2027, which is worth the trip all by itself. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for by itself

Rhymes for by itself

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Browse Nearby Words

by invitation only
by itself
by-job
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Cite this Entry

“By itself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20itself. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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