1
: a minor show offered in addition to a main exhibition (as of a circus)
2
: an incidental diversion or spectacle
Examples of sideshow in a Sentence
Their disagreement is just a political sideshow when compared to the real issues at hand.
Recent Examples on the Web
But the testimony, while striking, was something of a sideshow to the trial’s main event.
—
Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 9 May 2024
Police have been cracking down on the sideshow events in recent years.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 May 2024
Now, scientists say these popular carnival sideshows may one day help astronauts stay in shape on the moon.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2024
The appointment of Jon Knight to the vector control board is just the latest example of what many exasperated residents describe as Shasta County’s descent into a political sideshow.
—Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Another sideshow with fireworks and cars spinning donuts took place near Hercules, on Franklin Canyon Road near the golf course.
—Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
At that point, strong women were more of a sideshow attraction.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024
To the Rio waterfront, for one, where the pompous Nigel (Jemaine Clement) is quoting Shakespeare, decrying the carnival sideshow he’s chained to and deflecting the unwanted attention of his terribly annoying, terribly adoring fan, Gabi.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Tokens are not a sideshow of blockchain networks, a nuisance that can be stripped out and discarded.
—Chris Dixon, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024
Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 9 May 2024
Police have been cracking down on the sideshow events in recent years.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 May 2024
Now, scientists say these popular carnival sideshows may one day help astronauts stay in shape on the moon.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2024
The appointment of Jon Knight to the vector control board is just the latest example of what many exasperated residents describe as Shasta County’s descent into a political sideshow.
—Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Another sideshow with fireworks and cars spinning donuts took place near Hercules, on Franklin Canyon Road near the golf course.
—Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
At that point, strong women were more of a sideshow attraction.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2024
To the Rio waterfront, for one, where the pompous Nigel (Jemaine Clement) is quoting Shakespeare, decrying the carnival sideshow he’s chained to and deflecting the unwanted attention of his terribly annoying, terribly adoring fan, Gabi.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Tokens are not a sideshow of blockchain networks, a nuisance that can be stripped out and discarded.
—Chris Dixon, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sideshow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sideshow
Cite this Entry
“Sideshow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideshow. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sideshow
noun
side·show
-ˌshō 
: a small show off to the side offered in addition to a main show (as of a circus)
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