Synonyms

sidetracked

American

[sahyd-trakt] / ˈsaɪdˌtrækt /

adjective

distracted from the main subject, task, course, etc..

Sorry for not replying sooner—I’m an easily sidetracked guy with poor time management.
(of a train) moved from the main track to a siding, where it stops temporarily.

Rail officials agreed to move a sidetracked train after local residents complained of the noise, fumes, and vibrations.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of sidetrack.

Etymology

Origin of sidetracked

First recorded in 1880–85; sidetrack ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; sidetrack ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

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.

"For as long as you breathe, for as long as your heart beats, there's more for you to do," the Motown legend told the BBC's Sidetracked podcast.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2025

HBS and Harvard Business Review Press, which published Sidetracked, declined to comment.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 9, 2024

I spoke to Harvard professor Francesca Gino, author of Sidetracked: Why Our Decisions Get Derailed, and How We Can Stick to the Plan, about her research on the power of rituals to improve our lives.

From Time • Oct. 27, 2015

Francesca Gino, a psychologist, Harvard Business School professor, and author of the new book, Sidetracked.

From Inc • Mar. 4, 2013

Perhaps he thinks I'm old Molasses Freight Sidetracked at Pokey Pond and filled with prunes Waiting for Congress to appropriate The nuggets draped around me in festoons.

From The Love Sonnets of a Car Conductor by Irwin, Wallace

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