seat on a chair vs seat in a chair

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Seat on a chair' is used when referring to sitting on the surface of a chair, while 'seat in a chair' is used when referring to the space within the chair where a person sits.

Last updated: March 15, 2024 • 846 views

seat on a chair

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to sitting on the surface of a chair.

This phrase is used when describing the action of sitting on the surface of a chair. It indicates the physical contact between the person and the chair.

Examples:

Please seat on a chair while waiting for your turn.
He prefers to seat on a chair rather than on the floor.

Show examples from the web [+]

Can I take a seat on that chair?
But if I'm not careful, that 5,000 bucks you gave me could buy me a seat on the electric chair.
It must be clearly displayed and remain visible after attaching the chair-mounted seat to the adult chair and before the child is placed in the chair-mounted seat.
If you took the idea of fractal technology further, take a membrane, shrinking it down constantly like nature does - that could be a seat for a chair; it could be a sole for a sports shoe; it could be a car blending into seats.
Seats, chairs and related products, and associated parts
Like putting a whoopee cushion on the seat of an electric chair.
I thought as much... on the seat of your chair.
It is also used to some extent in the manufacture of items such as children's car seats, push chairs etc.
The chair attachment system must be designed to fix the chair-mounted seat both to the backrest and to the seat surface of the chair.
No European standards exist for children's chairs or for chair-mounted seats.
Chair-mounted seats in which the height of the sitting area can be adjusted must have locking mechanism(s) to secure the chair-mounted seat in its position of normal use.
That's why we invented the Seat-to-Feet Lift Chair, which makes getting up by yourself...
It produced just one horse power and it had a couple of garden chairs for seats.
New Interline S.p. A. is a producer of chairs and seats located in Basilicata.
The dummy shall be placed in the Child Restraint System separate from the seat-back of the chair by a flexible spacer.
Finishing services of new furniture (except upholstering of chairs and seats)
Chair-mounted seats must be designed and manufactured to prevent the entrapment of any part of a child's body.
Hazards associated with adjusting the height of the chair-mounted seat
Chair-mounted seats designed to fold must have a folding mechanism that a child cannot operate and that a carer cannot inadvertently trigger.
It must not be possible to set up chair-mounted seats for normal use without activating the locking mechanism.

Alternatives:

sit on a chair
take a seat on a chair
be seated on a chair
occupy a chair
perch on a chair

seat in a chair

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to the space within the chair where a person sits.

This phrase is used when describing the space within the chair where a person sits. It refers to the location where the person is seated within the chair.