sidewalk

American  

[sahyd-wawk] / ˈsaɪdˌwɔk /

noun

sidewalks plural

1. a walk, especially a paved one, at the side of a street or road.

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sidewalk British  

/ ˈsaɪdˌwɔːk /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): pavement.  a hard-surfaced path for pedestrians alongside and a little higher than a road

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sidewalks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sidewalk

First recorded in 1660–70; side ¹ + walk

Explanation

A sidewalk is a paved path for walking, often alongside a road. If your neighborhood has sidewalks, it's easier and safer to take a little jog. While English speakers in other parts of the world might use words like footpath or pavement instead, North Americans typically use sidewalk. Most sidewalks are slightly higher than the street and are often separated from them by a curb or a strip of grass. There is some historical evidence that Ancient Greece had sidewalks, though the word itself dates from about 1740.

Example Sentences

In an effort to escape the terminal, she pressed on a plateglass door, which shattered on the sidewalk.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026

At the center of the controversy is a sidewalk vending ordinance San Diego adopted in 2024 that also prohibited yoga classes of four or more people at shoreline beaches and parks without city permission.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026

A video clip went viral after it showed her clad in Knicks gear and nonchalantly dumping the contents of the blue-and-orange trash can onto the sidewalk before walking off with it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

One recent problem, the author notes, is the colonization of sidewalk space by shared electric scooters and delivery robots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

The dogs are trotting down the sidewalk, surveying their surroundings with wide eyes and pink tongues lolling in the breeze.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• boardwalk
• pavement
• walkway