sideswipe
Americanverb (used with object)
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sideswipes,
present (3rd person singular)
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sideswiped,
past participle, past
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sideswiping
present participle
noun
noun
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a glancing blow or hit along or from the side
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an unexpected criticism of someone or something while discussing another subject
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sideswipesimple
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sideswipessimple
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have sideswipedperfect
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has sideswipedperfect
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am sideswipingprogressive
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are sideswipingprogressive
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is sideswipingprogressive
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have been sideswipingperfect progressive
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has been sideswipingperfect progressive
Past
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sideswipedsimple
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had sideswipedperfect
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was sideswipingprogressive
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were sideswipingprogressive
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had been sideswipingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sideswipe
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.
See Examples For:
That's because some of the non-colliding positively charged protons are set swirling as the nuclei sideswipe one another at close to the speed of light.
From Science Daily ● May 17, 2024
On top of that, monthly economic readings are likely to be sideswipe from months by a distortion to industrial and payroll stats from labor strikes at the big U.S. automakers.
From Reuters ● Sep. 18, 2023
It’s like a game of chicken where two cars are headed toward each other, but a third car is coming in from the side trying to sideswipe one of them to prevent the collision.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2019
Wishing the Hawaiians good luck and may Hurricane Lane just sideswipe them a little as it passes by this weekend.
From New York Times ● Aug. 23, 2018
Commercial carrier reports near miss sideswipe three minutes ago in blue lane approximately three miles west of mile Marker 957.
From Code Three by Rick Raphael
"This Accord nearly sideswipes me, then decides to play chicken with the Raptor almost hitting him," the video’s description reads.
From Fox News ● Feb. 2, 2022
Andrea Bill, associate director of the Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said roundabouts sometimes led to more fender-benders and sideswipes, but saved people from paying a greater price.
From New York Times ● Nov. 20, 2021
About 80 percent of crashes involve sideswipes or rear-end collisions, officials said, suggesting driver confusion.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 21, 2021
The Bruins had captured much long-awaited local buzz after winning two games worthy of the bandwagon created in this space, yet after the first few Fresno sideswipes, that bandwagon lost control.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2021
"And it has reduced accidents, and dangerous accidents, which are the sideswipes that happen. So it has worked on the safety side, but to be an operative system, it must have the public trust."
From Chicago Tribune ● Dec. 19, 2014
Garces Perez says the agents twice sideswiped his Toyota Corolla, causing damage, before their unmarked SUVs turned on their lights and sirens.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
Videos showed instead that the government vehicle sideswiped Figueroa, a U.S. citizen who was driving to work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 8, 2026
He was sideswiped last year by a small tractor, injuring his hip.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025
In December last year, the Philippines said China's coast guard fired water cannons and "sideswiped" a government vessel during a maritime patrol near the Scarborough Shoal.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2025
When the bell rang, he was sideswiped by a horse named He Did and nearly went down.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Video posted to social media at the time appeared to show a Russian military vehicle sideswiping an American vehicle while at least two Russian helicopters flew overhead.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 15, 2023
From the start, Tan had Williams guessing and stretching, mixing often-exquisite drop shots with forays to the net; towering lobs with counterpunched backhand passing shots; sideswiping forehand slices with looped topspin.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 28, 2022
Two pickup trucks involved in the incident were pushed left toward the median, with one sideswiping the patrol vehicle and striking the Toyota, according to authorities.
From Fox News ● Dec. 2, 2021
The second police vehicle swerved, attempting to avoid the police vehicle in front of it, but ended up sideswiping it before crashing into the Camry.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 13, 2016
He defended himself by saying his move was just “a hockey play,” sort of like sideswiping a school bus is just “a driving maneuver.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2012
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.
