Synonyms

sidearm

American

[sahyd-ahrm] / ˈsaɪdˌɑrm /

adverb

with a swinging motion of the arm moving to the side of the body at shoulder level or below and nearly parallel to the ground.

to pitch sidearm.

adjective

thrown or performed sidearm.

a sidearm curve ball; sidearm stroke.

Etymology

Origin of sidearm

First recorded in 1925–30; side ¹ + arm ¹

Vocabulary lists containing sidearm

Excerpt from "Bad Boy"

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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.

From 1985 to 2021, the Beretta M9 was the standard-issue sidearm for the American military.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

They had agreed there’d be no semiautomatic rifles, Williams told me, so everyone brought a sidearm.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025

Scrambling to his left, quarterback Sam Howell saw a slight opening and slid the ball into it with a sidearm throw.

From Washington Times • Dec. 3, 2023

Then they tried to drown each other out, screaming “Beat LA!” and “Freddie! Freddie!” as Rogers continued to unleash a barrage of sidearm sinkers and sliders.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2023

“Good. Then sign yourself out a sidearm, and proceed to the target area.”

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

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