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.

So did the U.S. military: The Beretta M9 served as its standard sidearm for more than two decades until 2017.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Outside of a fluke infield single from Jo Adell, Neto’s home run was all the Angels mustered against the funky, sidearm delivery of the New York southpaw through six innings.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2025

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

I shift in my seat, rearranging my skirts so I can more easily reach my sidearm.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

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