sidelines

British  

/ ˈsaɪdˌlaɪnz /

plural noun

1. sport the area immediately outside the playing area, where substitute players sit

2. the peripheral areas of any region, organization, etc

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sidelines Idioms  

1. see on the sidelines.

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Example Sentences

But would-be buyers remain nervous about the job market and reluctant to pay high home prices, so it could take more than a small drop in rates to bring them off the sidelines.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

They had to offer incentives to get potential buyers — who have been hampered by high asking prices, elevated mortgage rates and inflation in general — off the sidelines.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

"It's a significant proposal, it's a significant step. It's not good enough, but it's a very significant step," Trump told reporters on the sidelines of an Easter Egg Roll event at the White House.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

“There’s a difference between a Christian and a churchgoer. There’s no way Jesus sits on the sidelines while violence against vulnerable and marginalized people is occurring.”

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Sharon Gaines paced up and down on the sidelines.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger