sidebar

noun

side·​bar ˈsīd-ˌbär 

1

a

: a short news story or graphic accompanying and presenting sidelights of a major story

b

: something incidental : sidelight

a sidebar to the essay's central theme

2

: a conference between the judge, the lawyers, and sometimes the parties to a case that the jury does not hear

Examples of sidebar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Léa Mysius’ The Birthday Party Mysius’ feature debut, Ava (2017) premiered in Critics’ Week and 2022’s The Five Devils in Directors’ Fortnight, preparing the ground for another Cannes bow for The Birthday Party, with a sidebar screening slot likely. —Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026

The company will also add an iPad-like sidebar for the apps and deliver proportions similar to those in the tablet's landscape view. —Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026

Poland also has an entry in the International Panorama sidebar, with period political thriller Variola Vera. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2026

But instead, court proceedings began with both sides speaking privately with the judge at sidebar, followed by a recess. —Kristina Rex, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for sidebar

• abattoir
• alcazar
• autocar
• avatar
• belshazzar
• caviar
• caviare
• cinnabar
• commissar
• condylar
• deodar
• handlebar

Legal Definition

sidebar

noun

side·​bar ˈsīd-ˌbär 

: sidebar conference

had failed to request a sidebar before injecting the collateral offense into the trial

—Dockery v. State, 659 So. 2d 219 (1994)

also : the place near or before the bench where a sidebar conference takes place

the judge informed both attorneys…that they…could stand at sidebar while questions were posed

—Commonwealth v. Urena, 632 N.E.2d 1200 (1994)

compare bench, stand

sidebar adjective