sidebar
Americannoun
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a typographically distinct section of a page, as in a book or magazine, that amplifies or highlights the main text.
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a conference between the judge and lawyers out of the presence of the jury.
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a subordinate or incidental issue, remark, activity, etc.
noun
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(in a newspaper, website, etc) a short article placed alongside and providing additional information about a longer one
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any subsidiary or supplementary thing
Etymology
Origin of sidebar
Explanation
A sidebar is a small section of text next to a longer article. A sidebar usually has information that relates to the main story beside it. Sidebar alert: it also means changing the subject in the middle of a conversation. Sidebars began in the printed newspaper world, and they've moved, along with newspapers and other news sources, to the internet. Most professionally-designed web pages include sidebars. In the legal world, a sidebar has a completely different meaning—it's a courtroom conversation between lawyers and the judge that jury members can't hear. The newspaper meaning dates from the mid-20th century.
Vocabulary lists containing sidebar
Journalism
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Reading: Informational - Middle School
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Monster
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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.
Sidebar: if you’re going to wear a Darth Vader costume during a press conference on Halloween, be ready to answer that question at some point.
From Fox News • Jul. 20, 2021
Tasks like The Snogathon or The Sidebar of Shame are designed to make the contestants second guess themselves, destabilise their relationships, or consider how they're coming across to viewers.
From BBC • Jul. 28, 2019
Sidebar: the strong female cast should be very heartening to all of us!
From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2017
Sidebar: There is just way too much happening in this episode.
From The Verge • Jul. 24, 2017
You can add sites to your RSS feed so they show up in the Safari Sidebar, and you can also send links or specific page elements such as photos with a quick click.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2014
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.
