sidewalk
Americannoun
-
sidewalks
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sidewalk
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
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:
One canister on a sidewalk in Echo Park was labeled “cherry apple.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Fire Department and police vehicles gathered at a site on a sidewalk, and a street was blocked off by yellow police tape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Just two years after the 62-year-old actor snapped up the modern 4,000-square-foot home, shocking images have revealed extensive damage outside the residence, with the collapse cracking open the sidewalk and leaving behind a gaping hole.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
Wall Street Journal editor John Bussey was standing on the sidewalk near the office that morning when the first plane hit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
It was just a second, and he shot her an awkward smile, before turning back to the small line that had developed on the sidewalk beyond the box office window.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Roughly a third of L.A. voters rank “moving homeless people indoors” and “crime and public safety” as top priorities, respectively; just slightly less say “fixing streets, sidewalks, streetlights and other city infrastructure” is essential.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
They are typically nonprofit organizations that maintain amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, gyms, playgrounds, private roads, shared parking lots, sidewalks, trash removal and more.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Nearly a quarter of U.S. children live in a neighborhood without a park or playground, and a similar share lack sidewalks or walking paths, according to recent federal data from the CDC.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026
It’s a mix of woodland trails and roads following a chain of yellow arrows on stone walls or sidewalks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Between the rows of old houses and the canals, the sidewalks were already too narrow for the crowds jostling one another and stopping to take pictures.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
