Cite vs Sight vs Site: See the Difference with Sentence Examples

To cite is a verb meaning “to point to examples, sources, evidence, reasons, or authors.” In other words, it is a kind of speaking or writing.

Cite appears in other English words, such as to recite “read aloud” and citation (noun), which can mean (1) “the act of citing” or (2) certain kinds of documents declaring that you have done something, good or bad: (2a) a citation can be the piece of paper a police officer gives you, also called a “ticket,” for breaking minor laws, such as while driving. (2b) Another kind of citation is one that an authority, such as a politician, gives you to recognize that you have done something heroic or good for the community. In any case, it is clear that cite means “refer to”:

Their theory does not cite enough evidence or reasons to convince me.

The officer cited me for driving 10 miles over the speed limit.

It is unethical to use authors’ words without citing them.

The firemen all received citations for their heroism.

Sight is a noun meaning either “something one can see” or “the ability to see”:

The most beautiful sights are all in nature.

Sight is a gift of evolution we too often take for granted.

Other words in English related to sight include insight, “(the ability to see) deep meaning or truth in something,” and oversight, “supervision.”

Site, in contrast, is a noun meaning “place, location, or facility.” It can be usually be used like the word place, although it also has more specific connotations:

I could not find an empty site on the bookshelf for the new dictionary.

There are many sites in America with archaeological remains.

Do you believe that site is a secret military base?

Different from place, a site is a location for something. You cannot say “the world is a big site”; someone would ask “a site for what?” This makes sense with the fact that site is related to the English word, situation (a specific happening).

More Examples of How to Use "Cite" in a Sentence

1. Cite your sources, and you'll be more credible.
2. During the argument, Riley cited several famous scientists who had been wrong before.
3. Elias cited the example of a country that had successfully transitioned to democracy as an example of what could be done in in his own country.
4. A police officer cited me for speeding on my way to work, which did not serve as a reasonable excuse for being late, according to my boss.
5. She was cited as one of the most influential women of our time.
6. Johny was cited for being in contempt of court.
7. I am going to cite three reasons for why I think that this is the best course of action.
8. The study was cited in the article as proof of the efficacy of the new drug.
9. She was able to cite several examples of times when he had lied to her.
10. The judge cited the precedent set in the previous case.

More Examples of How to Use "Sight" in a Sentence

1. Some animals have better sight than others, such as eagles and hawks.
2. There are many things that can affect a person's sight, such as age, illness, and injury.
3. Some people wear glasses or contact lenses to improve their sight.
4. The sight of the sun setting behind the mountains was breathtaking.
5. I caught sight of a deer in the forest and I started to follow it.
6. The tourists were awestruck by the sight of the ancient ruins.
7. Janice had the foresight to buy stock in the company before it went public.
8. Alberto has 20/20 vision, so he doesn't need glasses to improve his sight.
9. My wife was a sight for sore eyes when she arrived back home from her business trip.
10. The city was a sight to behold, with its tall buildings and busy streets.

More Examples of How to Use "Site" in a Sentence

1. The site of the accident was a busy intersection.
2. The site of the new school will be announced next week.
3. My team and I are excavating the site of the ancient city.
4. According to the press release, the site of the new hospital will be on the outskirts of the city.
5. The new site of the conference will be at the hotel, after a bit of miscommunication.
6. The site was easy to use and I was able to find what I was looking for quickly (website).
7. I am going to cite the website as a source for my research paper.
8. The article was taken down from the site after it was found to be plagiarized.
9. The new shopping center is going to be built on the site of the old one.
10. Finally, the archaeological site was discovered after a long search.
11. The solar panels will be installed on the roof of the building, but we are still trying to finalize the site.