on the sidelines

Idioms  

1. Observing rather than taking part, out of the action, as in Bolivia's neighbors remained on the sidelines, waiting to see which faction in the dispute would prevail. This idiom comes from sports. The sidelines are the two lines defining the sides of the court or playing field and the area immediately beyond them where, in such sports as football, the non-playing team members sit. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

For some athletes, the injury would have meant a year on the sidelines.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tinubu and his wife were received at Buckingham Palace in September 2024 and also held a bilateral meeting with the King on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai.

From BBC

Sometimes, it pays to stay on the sidelines as a fight breaks out.

From Barron's

British number one Draper has spent five months on the sidelines with a bruised bone in his service arm.

From BBC

“We expect this uncertainty will remain an overhang on the stock, masking otherwise positive momentum in non-Mobile initiatives, including Auto, IoT, and longer term opportunities within the datacenter, and remain on the sidelines.”

From Barron's