Meanings
nounfence sitter (plural fence sitters)
plural fence sitters · alternative fence-sitter · alternative fencesitter
- One who takes neither side of an argument or controversy, but maintains a neutral position.
- potentially offensiveOne who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation.
What...? EW. You scored with the fence-sitter?
2007, Adrian Tomine, Shortcomings (graphic novel), page 65Synonyms: bisexual, bi, switch hitter, fence-straddler
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOne who is bisexual, or who is uncertain about their sexual orientation.
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Also see
Origin
From fence + sitter, from the verb sit on the fence.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 牆頭草 /墙头草
- 牆頭草 /墙头草 (qiángtóucǎo)one maintaining neutral position
Esperanto neŭtralisto
- neŭtralistoone maintaining neutral position
Italian attendista
- attendistaone maintaining neutral position
Korean 회색분자
- 회색분자 (hoesaekbunja)one maintaining neutral position
Portuguese "em cima do muro"
- "em cima do muro"one maintaining neutral position
Russian наблюдатель, "моя хата с краю"
- наблюдатель (nabljudatelʹ)one maintaining neutral position
- "моя хата с краю" (moja xata s kraju)one maintaining neutral position
Swedish (passiv) åskådare
- (passiv) åskådareone maintaining neutral position
Cite this entry
APA
fence sitter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fence%20sitter
MLA
“fence sitter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fence%20sitter. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fence sitter,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fence%20sitter.
Source: fence sitter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.