adverb
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moving, facing, or inclining towards one side
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from one side; obliquely
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with one side forward
adjective
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moving or directed to or from one side
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towards or from one side
Etymology
Origin of sideways
Explanation
When something occurs on or in the direction of one side, it happens sideways. You can lean over sideways to see if your cat's hiding under the bed, or tip a teapot sideways to pour the last drops out. Sideways works as an adjective or adverb to describe things that lean toward one side or at an angle. A sideways tilt to a motorcycle might look scary, but it's safe if the rider is experienced. You can also use this word figuratively for "indirect" or "unconventional." So you might describe a movie that approaches serious subjects from a sideways perspective, using comedy. Sideways dates from the mid-16th century.
Vocabulary lists containing sideways
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.
He adds that it is also not illuminating concerns about a material inflation shock or other macro/geopolitical shock, as those are accounted for by the term premium, which has also moved sideways of late.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
That interaction point moves slightly sideways, a finding that could matter for quantum computers that use laser light to control qubits with extreme precision.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
While the country was knocked sideways by the Sept. 11 attacks, I was a closeted kid alone in a new city, and football did something for me that I have never forgotten.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
As the machine whirred to life, the film strip moved from a large platter through a system of rollers, pulled sideways across the front of the lens.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
He staggered sideways, unable to keep his balance.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
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.
