sideline

1 of 2

noun

side·​line ˈsīd-ˌlīn How to pronounce sideline (audio)
1
: a line at right angles to a goal line or end line and marking a side of a court or field of play for athletic games
2
a
: a line of goods sold in addition to one's principal line
b
: a business or activity pursued in addition to one's regular occupation
3
a
: the space immediately outside the lines along either side of an athletic field or court
b
: a sphere of little or no participation or activity
usually used in plural

sideline

2 of 2

verb

sidelined; sidelining; sidelines

transitive verb

: to put out of action : put on the sidelines

Examples of sideline in a Sentence

Noun She makes and sells jewelry as a sideline.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Participants received a crash course in broadcast media, honing their skills in sideline reporting, play analysis, color commentary and in-studio work. Melanie Anzidei, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025 The Capital Markets Conundrum Traditional capital markets prioritize rapid, substantial returns and often sideline startups with long-term, transformational potential. Michael B. Horn, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
This means that Bentancur would be sidelined for Tottenham’s FA Cup tie against National League side Tamworth on Sunday, with his earliest possible return date being January 15, when Spurs take on Arsenal in the North London Derby. Sam Joseph, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025 The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, Mohammed Raad, implied that the group’s legislators had withheld their votes from Mr. Aoun in the first round but voted for him in the second in bid to show that Hezbollah – even in its diminished state – cannot be politically sidelined. Sally Abou Aljoud and Abby Sewell, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sideline 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sideline was circa 1862

Dictionary Entries Near sideline

Cite this Entry

“Sideline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideline. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

sideline

noun
side·​line
-ˌlīn
1
: a line marking the side of a playing field or court
2
: a business or job done in addition to one's regular occupation

More from Merriam-Webster on sideline

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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