side quest

American

[sahyd kwest] / ˈsaɪd ˈkwɛst /

noun

plural

side quests

a quest or objective in a story or video game that is related to but not directly part of the main storyline or objective.
a secondary objective or pursuit.

Other Word Forms

sidequest verb

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.

Video generation was clearly viewed as one such distracting side quest, and it’s not hard to understand why.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Adomian took the opportunity to complete a long-awaited side quest when his tour paused for the 2024 holiday season.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 15, 2025

Surprisingly, learning these curses is not part of the main storyline, but comes with completing steps of Sebastian Sallow’s side quest.

From Washington Times • Mar. 13, 2023

The show is best when it's groups of people bantering in the woods, as opposed to wallowing in damp industrial buildings, so it's nice to see the band head off on a merry side quest.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2022

Rick and Daryl’s side quest is a reminder that cold hearts stand a better chance of survival.

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2017

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