sideline

1 of 2

noun

side·​line ˈsīd-ˌlīn 

1

: a line at right angles to a goal line or end line and marking a side of a court or field of play for athletic games

2

a

: a line of goods sold in addition to one's principal line

b

: a business or activity pursued in addition to one's regular occupation

3

a

: the space immediately outside the lines along either side of an athletic field or court

b

: a sphere of little or no participation or activity

—usually used in plural

sideline

2 of 2

verb

sidelined; sidelining; sidelines

transitive verb

: to put out of action : put on the sidelines

Examples of sideline in a Sentence

Noun

She makes and sells jewelry as a sideline.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Goff then found Kalif Reynolds for 15 yards on the sideline and hit St. Brown for 20... —C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025

Hollins and Boutte may have lost catches to uncalled defensive penalties that were signaled on the sideline but not called (no referees were present). —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025

Verb

After a season of suffering from vertigo and doing her best to navigate the prostate cancer diagnosis of her beloved husband Harry (Evan Handler), Charlotte was all but sidelined in And Just Like That's finale. —Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 Aug. 2025

Reed sustained a leg injury in the final moments of the Chargers’ victory over the Saints on Sunday and has been sidelined for the first two practices this week. —Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1913, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sideline

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine

Kids Definition

sideline

noun

side·​line

-ˌlīn

1

: a line marking the side of a playing field or court

2

: a business or job done in addition to one's regular occupation