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

Elevated home prices and interest rates have kept many buyers on the sidelines.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

Poor countries that don’t have reserves to draw on and are on the sidelines of the AI boom are already struggling, with shortages closing factories and high import prices for energy straining threadbare government budgets.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

This term, he has spent a long period on the sidelines injured.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

On top of that, market volatility pushed many to sell on days that the market rallied, and sit on the sidelines instead of buying dips.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

During every game, he stood by himself on the sidelines because Carlos would not let him play.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez