on the sidelines

Idioms  

1. Observing rather than taking part, out of the action, as in Bolivia's neighbors remained on the sidelines, waiting to see which faction in the dispute would prevail. This idiom comes from sports. The sidelines are the two lines defining the sides of the court or playing field and the area immediately beyond them where, in such sports as football, the non-playing team members sit. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

on the sidelines

I interviewed Beshear last week on the sidelines of Bourbon & Beyond, the music festival held annually in Louisville, Kentucky.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

Iran said it had raised reopening the strait and ending hostilities during negotiations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this past week.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

That’s one implication of a remark by Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith yesterday at Journal House, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Earlier in the week, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with his Chinese counterpart primarily to discuss AI development, according to U.S. officials.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Until he was ten, Bobby’s regimen was fairly routine: He played at the Brooklyn Chess Club every Friday night, with Regina sitting on the sidelines, reading a book or doing her nursing homework.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady