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
Mitch McCarthy boomed a high kick 55 yards, sending Toney backpedaling 15 yards near the right sidelines inside the Miami 5 to field the punt. Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 28 May 2026 If concerns about the monetization of artificial intelligence investments and the wait for new revenue streams were keeping you on the sidelines, then two major updates from the company may have just given you the green light. Zev Fima, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Verb
Alcaraz, currently sidelined by a wrist injury, recently added partnerships with Evian, Infosys and YoPro yogurt and keeps his schedule packed with appearances and exhibitions that can pay him $2 million per event. Brett Knight, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 Yates suffered a serious injury that sidelined him for five months, while Hunter had spent time playing tennis in Europe. Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sideline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sideline. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

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

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