Sit on the fence means to avoid taking sides or to put off making a choice. It describes someone who won't say yes or no in an argument or when faced with a decision, often so as not to upset anyone. The idiom is conversational and, when said about other people, sounds mildly critical. In essays, remain neutral or be undecided is used instead.
When would you say sit on the fence?
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sit on the fence (about/over + noun); be on the fence about + noun/-ing
- When the team voted on the new schedule, Olga sat on the fence and didn't vote.
- I'm still on the fence about doing a master's degree abroad.
- You can't sit on the fence forever; the landlord needs an answer by Friday.
What changed
First versionIn the argument about the new office, my boss is sitting on two chairs.
RevisionIn the argument about the new office, my boss is sitting on the fence.
Sitting on two chairs is a word-for-word translation of an idiom found in some other languages. English has no such idiom, so the phrase is understood literally. That idiom can also describe someone who wants to gain from both sides at once, and English has a separate phrase for that: have it both ways. If someone simply won't take either side in an argument, say sit on the fence. Only two chairs was changed to the fence.
Be on the fence about something usually carries no criticism: the person simply hasn't decided yet. I'm on the fence about the job offer means “I haven't made up my mind about the job offer yet”. Sit on the fence is more often said about others, with disapproval: they are avoiding giving an answer.
Your turn
When my two best friends had a big argument, I didn't want to lose either of them, so I ___.
Show the answer
sat on the fence — The speaker doesn't want to lose either friend, so they don't take either side: sat on the fence. Put my foot down means “firmly insisted on something”, which is the exact opposite.
Write about a decision you can't make up your mind about right now. Use be on the fence about and name the two options you're choosing between.
I'm on the fence about my summer plans: I could take a language course in Malta or save the money for a new laptop.
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