sideline

American  

[sahyd-lahyn] / ˈsaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

• sidelines
  plural

1. a line at the side of something.

2. a business or activity pursued in addition to one's primary business; a second occupation.

3. an additional or auxiliary line of goods.

   a grocery store with a sideline of household furnishings.

4. Sports.

   1. either of the two lines defining the side boundaries of a field or court.

   2. sidelines, the area immediately beyond either sideline, where the substitute players sit.

5. sidelines, the position or point of view taken by a person who observes an activity or situation but does not directly participate in it.

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verb (used with object)

• sidelines,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sidelined,
  past participle,  past
• sidelining
  present participle

1. to render incapable of participation, especially in anything involving vigorous, physical action, as a sport.

   An injury to his throwing arm sidelined the quarterback for two weeks.

sideline British  

/ ˈsaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. sport a line that marks the side boundary of a playing area

2. a subsidiary interest or source of income

3. an auxiliary business activity or line of merchandise

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verb

1. to prevent (a player) from taking part in a game

2. to prevent (a person) from pursuing a particular activity, operation, career, etc

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sidelines
  plural

Participles

• sidelining
  present
• sidelined
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sideline
  simple
• sidelines
  simple
• have sidelined
  perfect
• has sidelined
  perfect
• am sidelining
  progressive
• are sidelining
  progressive
• is sidelining
  progressive
• have been sidelining
  perfect progressive
• has been sidelining
  perfect progressive

Past

• sidelined
  simple
• had sidelined
  perfect
• was sidelining
  progressive
• were sidelining
  progressive
• had been sidelining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sideline
  simple
• will have sidelined
  perfect
• will be sidelining
  progressive
• will have been sidelining
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of sideline

An Americanism dating back to 1685–95; side ¹ + line ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sideline sidelines sidelined sidelining

What former Sunday Night Football sideline reporters do have, though, is vast name recognition and an ability to speak well on TV.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026

Tafoya, meanwhile, was mocked by many upon her entry to the race, as former Sunday Night Football sideline reporters don’t have substantial governing backgrounds.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026

When I ask Ms. Tafoya about the polls, she responds by recalling her years as a sideline reporter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

And if you’re still worried, there’s a radio in the helmet for the sideline to communicate with the QB.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

She and her friends move to the sideline.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas

The fisherwoman’s love story is “Wicker’s” pulse, but the movie is really about the town and it sidelines her character to skewer the place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

“It’s a growing pain,” Lebovitz told MarketWatch on Monday on the sidelines of J.P.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

The Milan clashes began Saturday on the sidelines of a sanctioned demonstration against the high cost of living.

From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026

In a statement, he denied being a member of the group but said he had "supported their movement over the years from the sidelines".

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Fifty or so students lined up on the sidelines along with Stephanie, wearing the shirts.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Forward Adou Thiero is sidelined with a left knee effusion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

Haines has also helped to secure funds for housebuilding, railway improvements and health infrastructure in her region, which she argues has long been sidelined by policies favouring cities.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

A back injury sidelined him against the Eagles, but he will return to the lineup on Monday night.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

After the Reggie titles in ‘77 and ‘78, the franchise didn’t win another Series until Admiral Huffenpuff was sidelined with a suspension and patient GM Stick Michael cultivated a young roster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

A lot of that comes from being good at sports, but it hasn’t really hurt me that I’m sidelined this semester.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Feeling a little terrified about how quickly technology seems to be sidelining humanity?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

The author is respectfully aware of this literature, but he tries to make a virtue out of sidelining the scientific evidence in favor of the written testimony.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

And while previous TV adaptations root into the emotional interiority of their male characters while sidelining female desire, “The Forsytes” places more narrative purpose in the hands of its women.

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2026

It has brought fresh infamy to “The Bachelor” and its format of prioritizing fairy-tale romance scenarios inside an isolated bubble while sidelining real-world issues centered on social trends, mental health and cultural shifts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026

From trade deals to cars, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are increasingly joining forces to steer the EU agenda -- risking sidelining French President Emmanuel Macron.

From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026

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