side quest
Americannoun
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
His hero’s journey now includes a side quest fighting the world’s richest man in an existential battle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026
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
Dungeon are more likely to try to get you to go on a side quest for them than to share their opinions about the latest Ryan Reynolds film.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2021
It stumbles only when the action slows down to send the antihero on a clumsy side quest in search of character motivation instead of another fight.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2019
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.
