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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Lower temperature, however, does not by itself establish that the process would consume less energy, cost less or carry a smaller environmental footprint at commercial scale. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026 That show, it should be said, is a veterans’ full-employment act all by itself. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 But privacy advocates know that increasing the social friction around nonconsensual recording can’t stop the practice by itself. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026 But a mention by itself does not tell you whether the customer understood what makes your company different. — Dr. Bin Tang, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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