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sidewalk

American  
[sahyd-wawk] / ˈsaɪdˌwɔk /

noun

  1. a walk, especially a paved one, at the side of a street or road.

sidewalk British  
/ ˈsaɪdˌwɔːk /

noun

  1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): pavement.  a hard-surfaced path for pedestrians alongside and a little higher than a road

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sidewalk

First recorded in 1660–70; side 1 + walk

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One night while she was walking her dog, she stopped short on the sidewalk: She could move to New York, she thought.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Reyne had sprained his ankle packing, plus his shoe got stolen, he said, so the sidewalk was as far as he had gotten.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

She sat on the sidewalk gazing at the concrete as she waited to be taken to the airport.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

The sidewalk in front of Café Triste is often so crowded with impeccably dressed patrons, it’s difficult to hear your own thoughts while walking by.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

I shivered as we got off the bus and stepped down to the sidewalk in front of the school.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.